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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: fine · hand · pitch · mouse · stem · charge · current · hide

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. current — electric
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — in control
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. current — happening now
  9. fine — all right
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pitch — completely
  15. hand — in cards
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. current — of water
  21. charge — a price
  22. stem — to come from
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. hand — help

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