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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: bank · charge · wake · ground · trunk · rush · fine · pop

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. ground — the earth
  3. pop — to visit
  4. fine — all right
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. wake — a trail
  8. rush — hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ground — crushed
  11. bank — for money
  12. pop — music
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. ground — a position
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — of a river
  18. pop — soda
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. fine — high quality
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rush — to hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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