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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 116 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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. rock — a stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. charge — electricity
  8. file — a line of people
  9. can — to be able to
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. can — a tin
  13. charge — a price
  14. file — a tool
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rock — music
  17. charge — in control
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bank — for money
  20. can — a tin
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. file — a document

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