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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: pitch · file · staff · season · ground · charge · saw · current

  1. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. ground — a position
  3. file — a document
  4. charge — in control
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pitch — completely
  7. ground — the earth
  8. saw — the tool
  9. staff — employees
  10. file — a line of people
  11. ground — crushed
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. staff — employees
  17. current — happening now
  18. file — a tool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. season — of the year
  21. current — electric
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. current — of water
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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