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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 120 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: pitcher · chest · mug · ball · deal · charge · cabinet · race

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. charge — a price
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. race — the arms race
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. charge — in control
  8. race — a contest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mug — to rob
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. race — humankind
  14. chest — of your body
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. chest — of your body
  17. deal — to handle
  18. charge — electricity
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mug — a cup
  22. mug — a face
  23. chest — a box
  24. pitcher — a jug

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