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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: pitch · fan · lie · suit · pitcher · stick · roll · charge

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. roll — a cake
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. suit — to fit
  9. charge — in control
  10. suit — in cards
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. pitch — completely
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. roll — a list
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. fan — a supporter

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