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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: bat · bank · charge · cap · bowl · swing · rush · deal

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bank — of a river
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. charge — a price
  8. cap — of ice
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bank — for money
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. bank — for money
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. swing — music
  24. deal — to handle

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