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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: fall · charge · pitcher · current · arm · spell · nail · rush

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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. rush — to hurry
  4. fall — to drop
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. current — happening now
  7. charge — electricity
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spell — a short time
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. current — electric
  15. fall — to drop
  16. spell — letters
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. spell — magic
  19. fall — the season
  20. current — of water
  21. rush — hurry
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. charge — a price
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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