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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. pound — a weight
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. pit — a hole
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pop — music
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — in control
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. pop — soda
  13. bank — for money
  14. chair — a leader
  15. pit — in a race
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bat — the animal
  23. bank — for money
  24. charge — a price

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