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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: roll · jam · scale · bowl · bore · wound · charge · pitcher

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. scale — size or range
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. scale — in music
  6. roll — a list
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. roll — a cake
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — an injury
  15. charge — in control
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bore — to drill
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bowl — a dish

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