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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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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: mark · cap · last · bore · chip · fork · pitch · lie

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. pitch — completely
  5. cap — of ice
  6. bore — to drill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. last — to go on
  10. cap — a lid
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. last — final
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. last — finally
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fork — in a road
  18. lie — to recline
  19. chip — for betting
  20. bore — to tire
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitch — a sports field

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