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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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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 · bowl · date · wind · pitch · scale · chip · mate

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. wind — moving air
  4. scale — in music
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. date — the fruit
  7. pitch — completely
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. scale — size or range
  15. charge — in control
  16. chip — to eat
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. mate — a friend
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. mate — to breed
  22. wind — moving air
  23. mate — a partner
  24. date — on the calendar

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