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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: tube · rush · calf · leaves · charge · pitcher · spell · chip

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. spell — magic
  4. chip — to eat
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. tube — a container
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. charge — electricity
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. charge — in control
  12. charge — a price
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. tube — the underground
  18. spell — letters
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — a short time
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — for betting
  24. calf — a young animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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