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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
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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: pitch · firm · mine · band · press · bulb · chip · lash

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the button?
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. pitch — completely
  5. band — a ring
  6. mine — for digging
  7. press — to push
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. band — a music group
  10. firm — steady
  11. bulb — for light
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. press — a publisher
  15. firm — a company
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. bulb — for light
  18. press — newspapers
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. firm — decided
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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