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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: ball · shower · coach · suit · pitch · stand · wind · charge

  1. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — to wash
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. shower — rain
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. suit — in cards
  7. stand — to bear
  8. wind — moving air
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. charge — a price
  11. pitch — completely
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. suit — clothes
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. wind — moving air
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. ball — a great time
  23. suit — to fit
  24. ball — a dance

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