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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: pitch · fan · band · lie · toast · rush · perch · charge

  1. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. rush — hurry
  4. charge — in control
  5. charge — electricity
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. perch — the fish
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. toast — bread
  15. pitch — completely
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. band — a music group
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. band — a ring
  24. charge — a price

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