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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: press · charge · fan · face · mug · shower · bore · pitch

  1. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. mug — to rob
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. face — to point toward
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. charge — a price
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. charge — electricity
  12. press — to push
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. face — part of the head
  16. pitch — completely
  17. press — a publisher
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. shower — to wash
  20. press — newspapers
  21. bore — to tire
  22. face — to confront
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. shower — rain

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