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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: fan · leaves · staff · lash · pop · club · pitch · charge

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pop — soda
  3. club — for golf
  4. staff — a stick
  5. staff — employees
  6. charge — in control
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. club — a group
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. staff — employees
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. pitch — completely
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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