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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — in control
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. chip — for betting
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pitch — completely
  12. roll — a cake
  13. charge — electricity
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. chip — to eat
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. roll — a list
  22. charge — a price
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. sharp — clever

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