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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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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: chip · pass · chair · game · coach · pitch

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. game — wild animals
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. game — a match
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chip — to eat
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pass — a permit
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. chip — for betting
  18. chair — to sit on

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