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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: charge · mouse · wave · club · wind · pitch

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. club — a group
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. charge — in control
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. charge — a price
  18. wind — moving air

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