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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: date · pitch · bear · key · row · ground · charge · rush

  1. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. bear — the animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. key — the most important part
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. charge — in control
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. row — a line
  10. rush — hurry
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. ground — a position
  13. key — for a lock
  14. bear — the animal
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. key — in music
  20. charge — a price
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ground — crushed
  23. date — the fruit
  24. row — to paddle

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