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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: pitcher · mark · charge · pound · craft · board · file · bank

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. file — a document
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. board — to get on
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bank — of a river
  9. bank — for money
  10. board — a committee
  11. mark — a trace
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. charge — a price
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. bank — for money
  17. charge — in control
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. file — a tool
  21. pound — a weight
  22. mark — a grade
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. charge — electricity

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