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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: rush · bound · march · pitch · sharp · bank · pop · charge

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. pitch — completely
  3. sharp — clever
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. bank — of a river
  6. march — music
  7. bank — for money
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. bound — obliged
  10. charge — a price
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — hurry
  13. pop — soda
  14. march — the month
  15. march — the month
  16. pop — to visit
  17. bound — certain
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bound — tied together
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. pop — music
  22. charge — in control
  23. bank — for money
  24. rush — a thrill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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