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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: squash · bore · charge · pitcher · deal · plane · land · bass

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. squash — to crush
  6. charge — in control
  7. charge — electricity
  8. bass — low music
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. land — a country
  12. land — ground
  13. squash — the sport
  14. land — to come down
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. bore — to drill
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. plane — a tool
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. deal — to handle
  21. charge — a price
  22. bass — the fish
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. deal — an agreement

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