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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: charge · snap · pitcher · lean · present · pound · swing · nail

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. swing — to play on
  3. pound — a weight
  4. charge — in control
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. swing — music
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. swing — in golf
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. charge — electricity
  12. present — there
  13. present — the time now
  14. lean — thin
  15. charge — a price
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. snap — to click
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. present — a gift

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