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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 116 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: charge · wind · spring · pitcher · fork · firm · rash · pass

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. pass — a permit
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. firm — a company
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. wind — moving air
  8. fork — in a road
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. firm — decided
  14. spring — the season
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. rash — a series
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. charge — a price
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. spring — of water
  21. rash — hasty
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — steady
  24. pass — to succeed

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