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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

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: pitcher · prune · charge · bear · bank · kid · lie · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kid — to tease
  3. charge — electricity
  4. bank — of a river
  5. bank — for money
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bear — the animal
  8. ball — a dance
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. prune — to trim
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. charge — in control
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. charge — a price
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kid — child

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