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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: bark · chest · cabinet · charge · date · mug · mate · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. bark — to shout
  3. date — the fruit
  4. mate — a partner
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mug — a face
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. mate — to breed
  10. chest — a box
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — completely
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. charge — electricity
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. charge — in control
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. charge — a price
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. mug — a cup
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mate — a friend

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