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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: pit · temple · firm · march · pound · pitcher · charge · hand

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — help
  3. charge — in control
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. march — music
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. pound — a weight
  13. firm — steady
  14. march — the month
  15. pit — a hole
  16. firm — decided
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. march — the month
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. firm — a company
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — to hit hard

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