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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
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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: pitch · staff · field · fine · bear · bat · bay · charge

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. field — farmland
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. staff — employees
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. staff — a stick
  11. fine — high quality
  12. staff — employees
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. field — for sport
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. fine — all right
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. field — a subject
  22. bat — the animal
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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