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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · rule · press · cabinet · charge · wake · wind · bore

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. press — to push
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. press — newspapers
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. wake — a trail
  14. charge — a price
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rule — a law
  17. charge — in control
  18. pitch — completely
  19. press — a publisher
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. wind — moving air
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. charge — electricity

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