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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.

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: charge · pitch · fine · saw · straw · root · coach · staff

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. staff — employees
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — a price
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. fine — high quality
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. pitch — completely
  11. saw — the tool
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. root — the cause
  14. staff — a stick
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. root — of a word
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. root — of a plant
  20. staff — employees
  21. charge — electricity
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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