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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 120 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pitch — completely
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — an injury
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a partner
  16. fine — all right
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. charge — electricity
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. charge — a price
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. hide — to keep secret

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