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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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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: leaves · ruler · face · charge · fork · chip · club · pitch

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. club — a group
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. club — for dancing
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. club — for golf
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. charge — electricity
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fork — in a road
  14. face — part of the head
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. charge — in control
  18. chip — for betting
  19. charge — a price
  20. face — to confront
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chip — to eat
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pitch — a sports field

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