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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: saw · charge · bore · pitcher · field · suit

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. bore — to tire
  4. suit — clothes
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. bore — to drill
  7. field — for sport
  8. field — farmland
  9. saw — the tool
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. charge — electricity
  12. saw — the tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. charge — in control
  17. suit — in cards
  18. field — a subject

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