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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wave · charge · trunk · leaves · ball · bear · chip · pitcher

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. ball — a dance
  4. bear — the animal
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. charge — a price
  9. bear — the animal
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chip — to eat
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. ball — a great time
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. charge — electricity

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