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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 120 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: bank · clip · content · bass · can · charge · bore · racket

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. content — happy
  5. clip — a video
  6. charge — in control
  7. bank — of a river
  8. content — the amount
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bank — for money
  11. can — to be able to
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bass — low music
  14. clip — for paper
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. clip — to cut
  17. can — a tin
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. bank — for money
  20. bore — to drill
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — a tin
  23. bore — to tire
  24. charge — a price

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