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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 116 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: pop · row · pitcher · stick · rule · board · pit · charge

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. row — to paddle
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. pit — a hole
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. rule — a law
  8. pop — music
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. board — to get on
  11. rule — government
  12. pop — soda
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pop — to visit
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. row — a line
  18. board — a committee
  19. charge — a price
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pit — in a race
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. charge — in control

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