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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
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: ball · bear · charge · bowl · bark · straw · deal · pitcher

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bear — the animal
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. charge — in control
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. charge — a price
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. ball — a dance
  14. bark — to shout
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. ball — a great time
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. deal — to handle
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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