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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: charge · racket · drill · net · pop · temple · pitch · cap

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pop — to visit
  7. cap — of ice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. pitch — completely
  12. net — in sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. net — for catching
  18. charge — a price
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pop — soda
  23. pop — music
  24. net — after costs

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