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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: firm · fork · charge · ruler · mine · sharp · pitch · straw

  1. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. charge — electricity
  5. firm — decided
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. firm — a company
  9. pitch — completely
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. mine — for digging
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. charge — in control
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. fork — in a road
  20. firm — steady
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. charge — a price

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