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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: pitch · club · pound · stem · hide · charge · bowl · branch

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pound — to hit hard
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. club — for golf
  7. charge — electricity
  8. club — a group
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. stem — to come from
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. branch — a division
  15. charge — in control
  16. pitch — completely
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. club — for dancing
  20. pound — a weight
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. charge — a price
  24. pound — for dogs

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