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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
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: bank · fall · pitcher · drill · chair · swing · charge · bound

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bound — certain
  3. swing — in golf
  4. bound — tied together
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. fall — the season
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bound — obliged
  9. swing — to play on
  10. fall — to drop
  11. fall — to drop
  12. charge — a price
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. drill — the tool
  15. charge — electricity
  16. charge — in control
  17. drill — a practice
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. swing — music
  20. bank — of a river
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. drill — army training

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