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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: fork · charge · pop · hide · pitch · branch · cap · ball

  1. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. pitch — completely
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. charge — a price
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pop — music
  7. fork — in a road
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. cap — a lid
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. cap — a hat
  17. charge — electricity
  18. ball — a great time
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pop — to visit
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. ball — a dance
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — in control

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