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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: toast · drill · pitch · charge · march · scale · chip · trunk

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. toast — bread
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. march — the month
  10. drill — the tool
  11. scale — in music
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. scale — size or range
  14. chip — for betting
  15. march — the month
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. charge — electricity
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitch — completely
  24. march — music

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