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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: pitcher · fan · content · pop · drill · patient · charge · stock

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. charge — in control
  4. drill — army training
  5. drill — a practice
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pop — to visit
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. content — the amount
  17. content — happy
  18. pop — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. charge — a price
  21. stock — goods
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pop — soda
  24. stock — shares

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