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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: scale · firm · last · charge · lash · current · pitch · mug

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. scale — in music
  3. charge — electricity
  4. last — finally
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. current — electric
  7. current — happening now
  8. firm — a company
  9. firm — decided
  10. mug — a cup
  11. last — final
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. mug — a face
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. last — to go on
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. charge — in control
  20. scale — size or range
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. current — of water
  23. pitch — completely
  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