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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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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 · spell · charge · hand · tube · drill · can · file

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. file — a document
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pitch — completely
  5. tube — a container
  6. drill — a practice
  7. can — a tin
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. charge — a price
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. spell — letters
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. tube — the underground
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — electricity
  19. can — to be able to
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — in control
  22. spell — magic
  23. can — a tin
  24. hand — help

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