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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: swing · charge · bank · pitcher · stock · bark · shower · patient

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — in control
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. bark — to shout
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. bank — for money
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. charge — a price
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. swing — to play on
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. stock — shares
  23. swing — music
  24. stock — goods

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