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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 120 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: craft · key · deal · stock · charge · ruler · club · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. key — for a lock
  7. deal — to handle
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — electricity
  10. club — a group
  11. craft — boats
  12. key — in music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. stock — goods
  15. club — for golf
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. key — the most important part
  19. club — for dancing
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. charge — in control
  22. charge — a price
  23. stock — shares
  24. ruler — for measuring

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