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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: squash · fine · pitch · deal · track · staff · charge · wake

  1. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. deal — to handle
  3. charge — a price
  4. squash — the sport
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. staff — employees
  7. squash — to crush
  8. track — a song
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. staff — a stick
  12. fine — high quality
  13. pitch — completely
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. charge — in control
  17. wake — a trail
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. track — a path
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fine — all right

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