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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: pop · pitch · ball · chair · charge · jam · band · lean

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ball — a dance
  5. lean — thin
  6. charge — a price
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pop — soda
  9. band — a music group
  10. charge — in control
  11. pitch — completely
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. band — a ring
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ball — a great time
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — music
  19. lean — to bend
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. chair — a leader
  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