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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
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: game · pass · rest · pitch · file · charge · nail · capital

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. capital — money
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. file — a line of people
  10. file — a tool
  11. game — a match
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. charge — in control
  14. game — wild animals
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. charge — a price
  20. charge — electricity
  21. capital — a city
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. file — a document
  24. nail — for a hammer

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