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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. board — to get on
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. ball — a great time
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. chip — to eat
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. stock — goods
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. stock — shares
  19. board — a committee
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. ball — a dance
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitch — completely
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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