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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: pitch · pitcher · swing · bass · racket · mine · charge · bore

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. charge — electricity
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. charge — in control
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. swing — in golf
  8. bass — low music
  9. bore — to drill
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bass — the fish
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. swing — music
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bore — to tire
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. mine — for digging
  24. charge — a price

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