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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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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: land · chip · firm · pass · pitcher · pitch · charge · branch

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. chip — to eat
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. firm — decided
  5. charge — in control
  6. land — to come down
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pitch — completely
  9. firm — steady
  10. branch — a division
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. charge — a price
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. firm — a company
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. land — ground
  22. charge — electricity
  23. pass — a permit
  24. land — a country

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