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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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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: lash · dip · chip · pitch · stand · date · race · ruler

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitch — completely
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. dip — to sink
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. race — a contest
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. race — humankind
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. race — the arms race
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. chip — to eat
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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