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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: key · pitch · press · march · charge · arm · racket · object

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. key — the most important part
  3. object — a thing
  4. charge — electricity
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. key — for a lock
  9. object — to protest
  10. march — the month
  11. press — newspapers
  12. object — an aim
  13. march — the month
  14. press — to push
  15. march — music
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. press — a publisher
  18. key — in music
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. charge — in control
  23. racket — for tennis
  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