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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: suit · charge · pitcher · scale · tube · kick · chip · row

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. scale — size or range
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. scale — in music
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. charge — in control
  11. kick — in football
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. chip — to eat
  14. suit — clothes
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. suit — to fit
  18. charge — electricity
  19. tube — a container
  20. tube — the underground
  21. chip — for betting
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. suit — in cards

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