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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: fan · bank · mine · charge · scale · pitch · press · suit

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. bank — for money
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. suit — clothes
  6. scale — in music
  7. charge — a price
  8. charge — in control
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. bank — of a river
  11. scale — size or range
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pitch — completely
  14. press — to push
  15. press — newspapers
  16. suit — to fit
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. charge — electricity
  19. mine — for digging
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. bank — for money
  22. suit — in cards
  23. press — a publisher
  24. fan — a supporter

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