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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. club — for dancing
  3. charge — a price
  4. club — for golf
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stock — goods
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — electricity
  13. club — a group
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ball — a great time
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. ball — a dance
  20. stock — shares
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bank — of a river
  24. object — an aim

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