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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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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: cabinet · ball · chip · racket · charge · pitch · bay · rule

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. ball — a dance
  3. chip — for betting
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. charge — in control
  9. rule — government
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. charge — electricity
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. ball — a great time
  19. pitch — completely
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. chip — to eat
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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