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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.

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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 · bowl · rest · race · bass · pitch

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. bass — low music
  6. rest — a break
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. bass — the fish
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. race — the arms race
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. rest — what's left
  16. race — a contest
  17. chip — to eat
  18. rest — what's left

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