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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: pitch · court · charge · can · foot · chest · mug · bark

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. can — a tin
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mug — to rob
  6. charge — in control
  7. foot — a measure
  8. charge — electricity
  9. mug — a cup
  10. can — a tin
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. court — of law
  13. court — for sport
  14. chest — a box
  15. court — of a king
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. bark — to shout
  20. charge — a price
  21. mug — a face
  22. chest — of your body
  23. chest — of your body
  24. can — to be able to

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