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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: snap · fan · board · charge · wind · coach · trunk · pitch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. charge — a price
  3. snap — to click
  4. charge — electricity
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. charge — in control
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. pitch — completely
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. wind — moving air
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. board — to get on
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. board — a committee

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