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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.

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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: bowl · safe · pitcher · board · fan · scale · wake · charge

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. board — a committee
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. scale — in music
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. charge — in control
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. scale — size or range
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. board — to get on
  22. charge — a price
  23. wake — a trail
  24. charge — electricity

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