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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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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: rash · mouse · sharp · coach · land · deal · pitch · chip

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. land — ground
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — a series
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. land — to come down
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pitch — completely
  16. land — a country
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. deal — an agreement

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