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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.

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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: pitch · row · fork · charge · staff · racket · safe · tube

  1. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. staff — employees
  6. pitch — completely
  7. staff — employees
  8. fork — in a road
  9. staff — a stick
  10. tube — a container
  11. row — to paddle
  12. charge — in control
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. row — a line
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. charge — electricity
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. tube — the underground
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. charge — a price

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