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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: pass · pitch · charge · row · ground · squash · coach · fine

  1. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. charge — a price
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. charge — electricity
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pitch — completely
  12. charge — in control
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. row — a line
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. ground — crushed
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. fine — all right
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ground — the earth
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. ground — a position
  24. pass — a permit

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