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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. saw — the tool
  3. file — a document
  4. present — a gift
  5. charge — electricity
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bank — of a river
  10. ground — the earth
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. file — a line of people
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bank — for money
  17. file — a tool
  18. present — there
  19. charge — a price
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. ground — crushed
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bank — for money
  24. ground — a position

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