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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 116 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: pitcher · squash · bear · pit · lean · chair · season · charge

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. pit — in a race
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. charge — in control
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. season — of the year
  7. bear — the animal
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. season — in sport
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. bear — the animal
  13. chair — a leader
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. charge — a price
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — to crush
  20. lean — to bend
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. charge — electricity
  24. lean — thin

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