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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: charge · ball · pit · pitcher · pound · pop · rash · foot

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — a price
  3. pound — to hit hard
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. pound — a weight
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. pop — soda
  10. pit — a hole
  11. foot — a measure
  12. pop — to visit
  13. pit — in a race
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a dance
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. rash — a series
  18. pop — music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rash — hasty
  22. charge — in control
  23. rash — on the skin
  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