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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: object · content · tube · saw · bank · court · rock · charge

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. object — to protest
  4. charge — in control
  5. saw — the tool
  6. tube — the underground
  7. object — an aim
  8. bank — for money
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. saw — the tool
  12. charge — a price
  13. court — for sport
  14. bank — for money
  15. rock — music
  16. bank — of a river
  17. court — of a king
  18. rock — a stone
  19. content — happy
  20. object — a thing
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. charge — electricity
  23. tube — a container
  24. content — the amount

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