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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. rash — a series
  6. chip — to eat
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. ball — a great time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. rule — a law
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. chip — for betting
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. fall — the season
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rule — government
  21. ball — a dance
  22. fall — to drop
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rule — to rule out

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