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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: row · season · trunk · pop · spring · charge · bank · key

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. key — in music
  3. row — to paddle
  4. charge — in control
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. charge — a price
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. bank — for money
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bank — of a river
  11. pop — soda
  12. season — in sport
  13. bank — for money
  14. row — a line
  15. key — the most important part
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pop — to visit
  18. spring — the season
  19. key — for a lock
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. spring — of water
  22. charge — electricity
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. pop — music

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