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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: rest · wind · temple · pitch · pass · hide · deal · chip

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. rest — what's left
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. rest — what's left
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rest — a break
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. wind — moving air
  19. wind — moving air
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. deal — to handle
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. hide — to keep secret

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