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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: game · pound · pitch · race · charge · suit · bound · dip

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. charge — in control
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. race — the arms race
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. suit — clothes
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pound — a weight
  12. race — a contest
  13. dip — to sink
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. game — wild animals
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. charge — a price
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. race — humankind
  23. charge — electricity
  24. game — a match

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