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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bound — tied together
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pitch — completely
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — a partner
  10. suit — to fit
  11. mine — for digging
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. bound — obliged
  15. bound — certain
  16. suit — in cards
  17. mate — to breed
  18. charge — a price
  19. mate — a friend
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. charge — electricity
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitch — a sports field

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