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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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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 · arm · stand · pitch · dip · face · snap · chip

  1. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. chip — to eat
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. charge — electricity
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. charge — in control
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. face — to point toward
  14. stand — to bear
  15. pitch — completely
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. chip — for betting
  20. dip — to sink
  21. snap — to click
  22. face — to confront
  23. charge — a price
  24. dip — a sauce

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