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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 · firm · roll · pitch · face · object · ball · march

  1. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. object — an aim
  3. march — the month
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. face — part of the head
  6. firm — a company
  7. object — to protest
  8. object — a thing
  9. face — to point toward
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. roll — a cake
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. pitch — completely
  16. ball — a great time
  17. face — to confront
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. ball — a dance
  20. firm — steady
  21. roll — a list
  22. charge — in control
  23. firm — decided
  24. roll — on a roll

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