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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. charge — electricity
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. bound — tied together
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. row — to paddle
  8. current — of water
  9. pitch — completely
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. charge — in control
  14. bound — certain
  15. row — a line
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. charge — a price
  18. bound — obliged
  19. cell — in biology
  20. current — happening now
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. cell — a phone
  24. current — electric

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