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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. charge — electricity
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. charge — in control
  7. march — the month
  8. charge — a price
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. march — the month
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. lean — thin
  15. bank — for money
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. march — music
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. lean — to bend
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pitch — completely
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bank — of a river

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