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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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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: file · bay · cabinet · ruler · charge · stand · pitch · roll

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. pitch — completely
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. file — a tool
  7. stand — to bear
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. file — a document
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. charge — a price
  12. roll — a cake
  13. file — a line of people
  14. charge — electricity
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. charge — in control
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. roll — a list
  24. ruler — for measuring

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