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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · field · charge · suit · chip · fan · root · racket

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. suit — to fit
  3. root — of a word
  4. charge — in control
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. charge — a price
  7. field — farmland
  8. field — for sport
  9. chip — to eat
  10. pitch — completely
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. field — a subject
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. root — the cause
  15. suit — in cards
  16. suit — clothes
  17. chip — for betting
  18. root — of a plant
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  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