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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: chip · rule · march · bowl · pitch · cabinet · ground · bear

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. ground — a position
  8. rule — a law
  9. rule — government
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. ground — crushed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. march — music
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. march — the month
  21. chip — to eat
  22. march — the month
  23. bear — the animal
  24. ground — the earth

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