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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: roll · bore · charge · bat · vault · degree · pitch · safe

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. degree — from a university
  4. charge — electricity
  5. degree — an amount
  6. vault — a safe
  7. charge — a price
  8. degree — temperature
  9. roll — a cake
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. roll — a list
  13. charge — in control
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. bat — the animal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. pitch — completely
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. bore — to drill
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. bore — to tire

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