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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 · branch · fan · pitch · rock · charge · present · firm

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. charge — a price
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. charge — electricity
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. firm — steady
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. firm — decided
  12. charge — in control
  13. branch — a division
  14. present — there
  15. sharp — clever
  16. pitch — completely
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — a stone
  19. present — a gift
  20. present — the time now
  21. firm — a company
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — exactly

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