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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: pitch · foot · charge · game · prune · can · board · present

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. charge — electricity
  3. can — to be able to
  4. charge — in control
  5. pitch — completely
  6. foot — a measure
  7. present — the time now
  8. board — a committee
  9. present — there
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. board — to get on
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. game — a match
  16. prune — to trim
  17. charge — a price
  18. prune — to trim
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. game — wild animals
  23. present — a gift
  24. foot — the bottom

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