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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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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. charge — a price
  5. mug — a face
  6. charge — electricity
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. season — of the year
  10. kick — in football
  11. charge — in control
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mug — a cup
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. mug — to rob
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bat — the animal
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. pitch — completely

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