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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 116 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: content · firm · lean · pitch · charge · kid · game · chip

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. pitch — completely
  3. chip — to eat
  4. charge — in control
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. charge — a price
  7. game — wild animals
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. firm — steady
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. game — a match
  13. lean — thin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. kid — child
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. charge — electricity
  19. firm — a company
  20. content — happy
  21. firm — decided
  22. lean — to bend
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — in a computer

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