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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: tube · hide · suit · chip · date · bay · pitch · rock

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. rock — music
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. date — the fruit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. chip — to eat
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. pitch — completely
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. suit — to fit
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. suit — clothes
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. tube — a container

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