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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. charge — in control
  3. bank — for money
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mate — a partner
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bank — for money
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wind — moving air
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. charge — a price
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. bass — low music
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. wind — to turn a key

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