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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: swing · leaves · trunk · rule · rush · pitch · charge · land

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. rule — government
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. land — a country
  6. charge — in control
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. land — to come down
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. charge — a price
  16. pitch — completely
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. rush — hurry
  20. land — ground
  21. swing — to play on
  22. rule — a law
  23. charge — electricity
  24. swing — in golf

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