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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 116 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: trunk · club · bore · charge · field · bound · ball · pitch

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. pitch — completely
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. charge — in control
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. club — a group
  8. field — farmland
  9. club — for golf
  10. field — for sport
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. charge — electricity
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. bound — certain
  15. club — for dancing
  16. ball — a dance
  17. bore — to drill
  18. charge — a price
  19. bound — tied together
  20. field — a subject
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to tire
  24. trunk — of a car

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