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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: pitch · sharp · present · trunk · charge · plane · cue · dip

  1. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. present — a gift
  3. plane — a tool
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. present — there
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. charge — electricity
  10. dip — to sink
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. sharp — clever
  20. present — the time now
  21. charge — a price
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. charge — in control

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