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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 · pitch · band · mark · bear · root · club · mug

  1. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. pitch — completely
  7. club — for golf
  8. mark — a grade
  9. root — the cause
  10. root — of a plant
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. mug — a face
  14. band — a music group
  15. mug — a cup
  16. charge — electricity
  17. club — a group
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bear — the animal
  20. charge — in control
  21. bear — the animal
  22. root — of a word
  23. charge — a price
  24. mug — to rob

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