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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 · bay · pitch · board · stock · toast · mine · rush

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. pitch — completely
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. board — to get on
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. toast — bread
  9. chip — to eat
  10. stock — shares
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. stock — goods
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. mine — for digging
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. chip — for betting
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. board — a committee

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