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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: deal · pitch · hide · object · ground · temple · charge · current

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. charge — a price
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. ground — crushed
  5. pitch — completely
  6. object — a thing
  7. current — happening now
  8. deal — to handle
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. current — electric
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. object — to protest
  13. object — an aim
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. current — of water
  18. charge — electricity
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. charge — in control
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — the earth

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