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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.

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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: can · pit · bowl · pitcher · perch · stick · charge · band

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. charge — in control
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. band — a music group
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. perch — the fish
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. band — a ring
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. charge — electricity
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — in a race
  22. charge — a price
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. pit — a hole

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