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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 116 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
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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: swing · present · pitcher · saw · charge · pit · cabinet · cue

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. cue — a signal
  4. present — a gift
  5. cue — a hint
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. swing — music
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. charge — in control
  11. swing — to play on
  12. charge — electricity
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pit — in a race
  15. cue — for pool
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. saw — the tool
  18. present — the time now
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pit — a hole
  23. present — there
  24. saw — the tool

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