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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.

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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: sharp · temple · charge · lie · pitch · capital · club · firm

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. charge — a price
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. club — a group
  7. firm — steady
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. capital — money
  10. lie — to recline
  11. club — for dancing
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. charge — electricity
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. capital — a city
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. pitch — completely
  24. sharp — clever

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