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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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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: calf · track · pitch · chip · kid · rock · pop · cap

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pop — music
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. track — a path
  8. cap — a hat
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. track — a song
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. rock — music
  14. cap — of ice
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. cap — a lid
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. pop — soda
  19. rock — a stone
  20. kid — child
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chip — to eat
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. kid — to tease

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