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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 120 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
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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: deal · charge · lash · perch · ground · season · scale · pitch

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. deal — to handle
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. pitch — completely
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. charge — electricity
  8. ground — a position
  9. charge — a price
  10. season — of the year
  11. ground — crushed
  12. charge — in control
  13. scale — size or range
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. perch — the fish
  17. ground — the earth
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. season — in sport
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. scale — in music

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