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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
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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: mark · pitch · charge · coach · racket · sharp · cue · ground

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. pitch — completely
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cue — for pool
  6. cue — a hint
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. ground — the earth
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cue — a signal
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. charge — a price
  17. ground — crushed
  18. mark — a grade
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. ground — a position
  21. sharp — clever
  22. charge — in control
  23. mark — a trace
  24. coach — a trainer

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