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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
468
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 · pop · mate · dip · racket · charge · tube · cabinet

  1. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — electricity
  2. charge — in control
  3. charge — a price
  4. pop — music
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pitch — completely
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. mate — a friend
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. mate — to breed
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mate — a partner
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. tube — a container
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. pop — soda
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. racket — for tennis

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