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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: bat · safe · charge · scale · rest · temple · court · pitch

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. charge — in control
  3. scale — size or range
  4. rest — what's left
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. charge — a price
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. rest — a break
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. scale — in music
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. court — of law
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pitch — completely
  20. bat — the animal
  21. court — of a king
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. court — for sport
  24. rest — what's left

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