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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: rash · charge · rush · pit · temple · leaves · field · pitch

  1. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. pit — a hole
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. charge — in control
  7. rash — a series
  8. charge — electricity
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. rush — hurry
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. rash — hasty
  15. field — a subject
  16. field — farmland
  17. charge — a price
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. pit — in a race
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. pitch — completely
  22. field — for sport
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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