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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: object · chip · pitch · rush · pass · pitcher · file · drill

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. object — an aim
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. file — a line of people
  6. pitch — completely
  7. object — a thing
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. pass — a permit
  11. object — to protest
  12. file — a document
  13. file — a tool
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. drill — army training
  18. drill — the tool
  19. drill — a practice
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. rush — to hurry

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