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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 120 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: bass · rock · pitch · racket · charge · present · wound · fan

  1. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — a gift
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitch — completely
  8. charge — in control
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. present — the time now
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. bass — the fish
  17. present — there
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — a stone
  21. charge — a price
  22. rock — music
  23. wound — an injury
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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