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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. charge — in control
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. pitch — completely
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. charge — a price
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. ball — a dance
  11. ball — a great time
  12. bark — to shout
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. charge — electricity
  16. bank — of a river
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. bank — for money
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. dip — to sink

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