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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.

Make a worksheet

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: can · charge · toast · hide · wind · club · pitcher · ball

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — for golf
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. club — for dancing
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. can — a tin
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. wind — moving air
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. wind — moving air
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — to be able to
  14. charge — in control
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. club — a group
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. charge — a price
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. toast — bread
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hide — animal skin

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