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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.

Make a worksheet

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
468
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: rash · pitch · fork · game · mouse · chest · temple · charge

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. rash — a series
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. fork — in a road
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. charge — a price
  16. game — wild animals
  17. chest — a box
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rash — hasty
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chest — of your body
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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