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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: dip · chip · staff · present · shower · object · coach · pitch

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. dip — to sink
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — rain
  8. present — the time now
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. staff — employees
  11. pitch — completely
  12. shower — to wash
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. staff — employees
  17. chip — for betting
  18. object — a thing
  19. staff — a stick
  20. present — a gift
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. present — there
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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