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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: charge · safe · mate · lean · sharp · swing · pitcher · bass

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. charge — electricity
  3. swing — in golf
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. charge — a price
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. mate — a friend
  10. bass — low music
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. swing — music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mate — a partner
  17. swing — to play on
  18. sharp — clever
  19. mate — to breed
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. charge — in control
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bass — the fish

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