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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: drill · lean · saw · present · game · charge · pitch · pound

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. drill — army training
  3. game — a match
  4. lean — to bend
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. drill — a practice
  7. charge — electricity
  8. present — there
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. present — a gift
  11. drill — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — a price
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pound — a weight
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. charge — in control
  18. present — the time now
  19. pitch — completely
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. lean — thin
  24. pound — to hit hard

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