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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 116 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: net · pitch · lash · face · rush · charge · ruler · pound

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. net — after costs
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. face — to point toward
  10. charge — in control
  11. face — to confront
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. net — in sport
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. face — part of the head
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. charge — a price
  19. rush — hurry
  20. net — for catching
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. pound — a weight

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