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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: chip · pitch · key · date · foot · suit · deal · sharp

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — clothes
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. date — the fruit
  8. suit — to fit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — clever
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. deal — to handle
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. foot — a measure
  18. key — for a lock
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. pitch — completely
  21. key — in music
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. key — the most important part

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