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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
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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: rush · charge · march · trunk · track · pitch · leaves · bound

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. track — a path
  4. track — to keep track
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. charge — electricity
  9. bound — tied together
  10. march — the month
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. march — music
  14. charge — a price
  15. bound — certain
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. track — a song
  18. charge — in control
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bound — obliged
  21. march — the month
  22. rush — hurry
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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