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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.

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: charge · bound · club · calf · plane · firm · pitcher · saw

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bound — certain
  3. charge — electricity
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. firm — a company
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — a group
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. firm — steady
  12. plane — a tool
  13. bound — obliged
  14. saw — the tool
  15. charge — in control
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. charge — a price
  19. firm — decided
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. bound — tied together
  23. saw — the tool
  24. club — for golf

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