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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: content · can · charge · swing · pitch · lean · file · bowl

  1. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. pitch — completely
  3. content — happy
  4. swing — in golf
  5. content — the amount
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. charge — a price
  9. swing — to play on
  10. can — to be able to
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. charge — in control
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. can — a tin
  17. swing — music
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — to bend
  20. can — a tin
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. file — a tool
  23. charge — electricity
  24. file — a document

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