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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: racket · shower · pitch · lean · stand · drill · charge · stick

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. pitch — completely
  3. lean — to bend
  4. stand — to bear
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. charge — a price
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. charge — in control
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. charge — electricity
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. drill — army training
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. shower — rain
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. shower — to wash
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. drill — the tool
  21. lean — thin
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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