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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 116 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: rash · charge · pitcher · march · bowl · spring · ground · stem

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. spring — the season
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. march — the month
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ground — a position
  12. stem — to come from
  13. ground — the earth
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. spring — of water
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ground — crushed
  19. charge — a price
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. charge — electricity
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. bowl — to roll

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