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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.

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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 · nail · bowl · hand · chair · bulb · ground · bank

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. hand — help
  3. bulb — for light
  4. ground — crushed
  5. hand — in cards
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. bank — for money
  8. charge — electricity
  9. charge — in control
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. bulb — for light
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. bank — of a river
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. ground — a position
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. ground — the earth
  20. charge — a price
  21. bank — for money
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chair — a leader
  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