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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. bank — of a river
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — in control
  6. spell — magic
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. charge — a price
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — a short time
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. bank — for money
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. squash — the sport
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bank — for money
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stand — to bear
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. squash — to crush

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