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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 · file · foot · pitcher · pit · coach · spell · bore

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — letters
  4. bore — to tire
  5. charge — a price
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. file — a document
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. spell — magic
  11. charge — electricity
  12. pit — a hole
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — in a race
  15. bore — to drill
  16. file — a tool
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. file — a line of people
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. charge — in control
  24. foot — a measure

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