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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: bowl · pitcher · charge · bulb · saw · branch · present · row

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bulb — for light
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. branch — a division
  7. saw — the tool
  8. row — to paddle
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. present — there
  11. bulb — for light
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. charge — electricity
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. row — a line
  20. charge — in control
  21. present — the time now
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. present — a gift

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