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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: mouse · charge · pitch · snap · key · row · date · jam

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. snap — to click
  5. key — for a lock
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. key — in music
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. key — the most important part
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. row — to paddle
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. charge — a price
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. row — a line
  21. pitch — completely
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. jam — in traffic

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