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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. bank — for money
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chip — for betting
  5. spell — magic
  6. bank — of a river
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bank — for money
  10. charge — electricity
  11. spring — the season
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. charge — a price
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chip — to eat
  16. rash — a series
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. spring — of water
  19. spell — letters
  20. rash — hasty
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. spring — a coil
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fork — in a road

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com