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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · date · kid · hide · fan · pitch · pit · rush

  1. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Have you settled on a ________________?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pit — in a race
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. kid — child
  7. kid — to tease
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. chip — for betting
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. date — the fruit
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitch — completely
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. rush — hurry
  24. pit — a hole

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