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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — for money
  3. suit — clothes
  4. drill — a practice
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. bank — for money
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. charge — in control
  11. sharp — clever
  12. charge — a price
  13. drill — army training
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — the tool

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