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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 · charge · rash · court · vault · bank · rock · ground

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — a price
  4. bank — for money
  5. charge — electricity
  6. bank — of a river
  7. vault — a safe
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ground — crushed
  11. rash — a series
  12. ground — the earth
  13. rock — music
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rash — hasty
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. rock — a stone
  20. charge — in control
  21. court — of law
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ground — a position
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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