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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: pitch · bowl · charge · safe · bat · snap · foot · pitcher

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. snap — to click
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. foot — a measure
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — in control
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bat — the animal
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitch — completely
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. bat — in an idiom

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