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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: suit · pitcher · charge · wave · branch · bat · plane · bowl

  1. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. branch — a division
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — in cards
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — the animal
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. suit — to fit
  19. charge — a price
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. suit — clothes
  22. plane — a tool
  23. wave — of the sea
  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