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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: swing · pitch · dip · ball · tube · bear · chip · face

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. tube — the underground
  4. pitch — completely
  5. bear — the animal
  6. swing — in golf
  7. ball — a great time
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — music
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. dip — to sink
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. tube — a container
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. swing — to play on
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. ball — a dance
  22. face — to confront
  23. chip — to eat
  24. face — part of the head

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