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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: dip · fan · jam · pitcher · content · squash · row · charge

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. row — to paddle
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. content — the amount
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. row — a line
  11. charge — a price
  12. squash — the sport
  13. content — happy
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. squash — to crush
  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