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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 · bore · mine · spring · pitch · chip · ball · coach

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. spring — a coil
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. chip — to eat
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. charge — in control
  11. spring — of water
  12. ball — a dance
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. charge — electricity
  16. mine — for digging
  17. bore — to tire
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. bore — to drill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. spring — the season
  24. charge — a price

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