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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: pitch · bore · charge · bound · coach · mark · pop · calf

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. bore — to tire
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — in control
  8. bound — obliged
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. charge — a price
  11. bore — to drill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a grade
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pop — soda
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pitch — completely
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. pop — music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bound — tied together
  24. mark — a trace

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