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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 120 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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — to eat
  5. cue — for pool
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. cue — a signal
  12. file — a line of people
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitch — completely
  15. file — a document
  16. content — happy
  17. pass — a permit
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. file — a tool
  21. content — the amount
  22. chip — for betting
  23. dip — to sink
  24. content — videos and posts

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