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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: mate · ball · date · board · saw · pitch · charge · bowl

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. mate — a partner
  5. charge — electricity
  6. ball — a dance
  7. mate — to breed
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. charge — a price
  10. board — to get on
  11. mate — a friend
  12. board — a committee
  13. charge — in control
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. ball — a great time
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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