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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: charge · mug · bat · root · race · craft · pitch · rock

  1. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. root — of a plant
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. mug — a cup
  7. race — humankind
  8. race — the arms race
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. race — a contest
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. charge — a price
  15. root — the cause
  16. mug — a face
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. root — of a word
  21. mug — to rob
  22. pitch — completely
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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