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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.

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: pitch · last · game · charge · lash · lean · bore · rule

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. game — wild animals
  3. game — a match
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lean — thin
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. lean — to bend
  8. last — to go on
  9. pitch — completely
  10. charge — a price
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. rule — a law
  13. rule — government
  14. charge — in control
  15. last — final
  16. bore — to tire
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bore — to drill
  24. last — finally

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