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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. drill — a practice
  3. charge — in control
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. swing — to play on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. swing — music
  9. stem — to come from
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. drill — army training
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. swing — in golf
  18. charge — a price
  19. wax — to grow
  20. drill — the tool
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. toast — bread
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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