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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: cabinet · ball · tube · pitcher · charge · bat · pound · fine

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fine — high quality
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — a price
  13. tube — the underground
  14. tube — a container
  15. ball — a dance
  16. fine — all right
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. bat — the animal
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a great time
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pound — a weight

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