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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: charge · pitch · pass · wake · jam · lash · roll · mouse

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. roll — a list
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. charge — electricity
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. charge — a price
  12. wake — a trail
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. pass — a permit
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. roll — a cake
  24. charge — in control

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