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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: cap · swing · mark · land · charge · degree · pitch · calf

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. mark — a grade
  5. land — ground
  6. swing — to play on
  7. cap — a lid
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. cap — of ice
  11. degree — temperature
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. degree — from a university
  14. charge — in control
  15. swing — in golf
  16. swing — music
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. cap — a hat
  19. land — to come down
  20. degree — an amount
  21. charge — electricity
  22. mark — a trace
  23. land — a country
  24. charge — a price

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