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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: cell · rock · tube · clip · charge · bowl · pass · pitch

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. clip — for paper
  3. cell — in biology
  4. clip — a video
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. tube — a container
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. tube — the underground
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — completely
  11. rock — a stone
  12. charge — a price
  13. clip — to cut
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. charge — in control
  21. charge — electricity
  22. cell — a phone
  23. rock — music
  24. bowl — a dish

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