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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: pitch · lie · board · leaves · band · charge · present · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. charge — in control
  3. board — to get on
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. charge — electricity
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. band — a music group
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. pitch — completely
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. charge — a price
  15. band — a ring
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. lie — to recline
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. present — there
  23. board — a committee
  24. bowl — to roll

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