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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: charge · spring · jam · bat · suit · drill · nail · bank

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. suit — to fit
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. charge — a price
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. charge — in control
  13. drill — army training
  14. spring — the season
  15. spring — a coil
  16. drill — a practice
  17. drill — the tool
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bank — of a river
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. spring — of water
  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