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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: season · charge · pitcher · club · rest · pit · chair · safe

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. chair — a leader
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. club — for golf
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. season — of the year
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. charge — in control
  15. season — in sport
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rest — a break
  18. pit — a hole
  19. rest — what's left
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. rest — what's left
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. club — for dancing

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