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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: charge · staff · pitch · chip · fork · snap · swing · rush

  1. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. chip — to eat
  5. swing — to play on
  6. swing — in golf
  7. staff — employees
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. charge — a price
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. fork — in a road
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. staff — a stick
  16. charge — in control
  17. snap — to click
  18. staff — employees
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. swing — music
  21. charge — electricity
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. chip — for betting

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