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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: squash · current · mine · net · charge · pitch · plane · deal

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mine — for digging
  4. net — in sport
  5. plane — a tool
  6. squash — to crush
  7. current — happening now
  8. squash — the sport
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. current — of water
  11. net — after costs
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. net — for catching
  14. charge — a price
  15. current — electric
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — to handle
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. charge — electricity
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. mine — an explosive

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