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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: tear · charge · pitch · bank · press · board · dip · drill

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. drill — the tool
  3. board — to get on
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. tear — from crying
  6. charge — electricity
  7. pitch — completely
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. press — a publisher
  11. dip — to sink
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — to rip
  15. drill — a practice
  16. bank — of a river
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. press — to push
  22. press — newspapers
  23. drill — army training
  24. tear — from crying

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