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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: rash · chip · rock · content · pitch · stand · board · straw

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rock — music
  6. content — happy
  7. board — to get on
  8. board — a committee
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. chip — to eat
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. chip — for betting
  15. content — the amount
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. stand — to bear
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. rock — a stone
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. board — a flat piece

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