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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 124 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. club — a group
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rush — hurry
  9. charge — in control
  10. drill — a practice
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. drill — the tool
  14. club — for golf
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. roll — a cake
  18. drill — army training
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. roll — a list
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. club — for dancing

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