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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: charge · racket · pitch · patient · club · lash · ball · capital

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. capital — a city
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. charge — electricity
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. club — for dancing
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. club — a group
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. charge — in control
  15. capital — money
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. ball — a great time
  18. patient — calm and waiting
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. ball — a dance
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pitch — completely
  23. club — for golf
  24. charge — a price

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