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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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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: bay · charge · pitcher · pitch · spring · arm · squash · bound

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. spring — the season
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. charge — electricity
  10. spring — of water
  11. spring — a coil
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — obliged
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. charge — a price
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. squash — the sport

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