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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 · drill · pitch · jam · ball · deal · lie · current

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. deal — to handle
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. drill — a practice
  7. ball — a dance
  8. current — happening now
  9. current — of water
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. current — electric
  12. ball — a great time
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. drill — army training
  15. drill — the tool
  16. pitch — completely
  17. lie — to recline
  18. charge — a price
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. charge — electricity
  22. charge — in control
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. deal — a big deal

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