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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: coach · mate · charge · snap · arm · pitch · fall · wax

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. charge — in control
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. snap — to click
  8. wax — to grow
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. charge — a price
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. fall — to drop
  14. mate — a friend
  15. mate — a partner
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. mate — to breed
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. charge — electricity

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