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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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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: swing · cap · charge · rock · mark · pitch · staff · rush

  1. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. rush — hurry
  2. mark — a grade
  3. staff — a stick
  4. cap — of ice
  5. swing — music
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. cap — a hat
  9. cap — a lid
  10. pitch — completely
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. charge — a price
  13. rock — music
  14. staff — employees
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. mark — a trace
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. charge — electricity
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — a stone
  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