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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 120 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 · pound · present · pitcher · straw · temple · club · pit

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. charge — in control
  4. club — for dancing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — a hole
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. present — a gift
  11. club — a group
  12. pound — a weight
  13. charge — electricity
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. present — the time now
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. club — for golf
  19. present — there
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. charge — a price
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. pound — for dogs

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