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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: nail · pop · pitch · charge · content · rush · arm · coach

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. pop — soda
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. charge — electricity
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. content — the amount
  14. pop — music
  15. rush — hurry
  16. charge — in control
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. content — happy
  21. pitch — completely
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. coach — a trainer
  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