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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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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: pitcher · bulb · lean · bank · jam · tear · temple · charge

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bank — of a river
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. tear — to rip
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to bend
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. tear — from crying
  12. bulb — for light
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. charge — electricity
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. charge — a price
  17. bank — for money
  18. tear — from crying
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. bank — for money
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. charge — in control
  24. lean — thin

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