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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. mug — a face
  4. charge — electricity
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. chip — for betting
  7. mug — a cup
  8. chip — to eat
  9. charge — a price
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bank — for money
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. march — the month
  16. march — the month
  17. wind — moving air
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. wind — moving air
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bank — of a river
  23. charge — in control
  24. bank — for money

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