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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: chip · cabinet · pitch · snap · last · fall · board · stock

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. stock — goods
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. snap — to speak sharply
  6. chip — to eat
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. chip — for betting
  9. last — to go on
  10. board — a committee
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. snap — to click
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. board — to get on
  17. fall — to drop
  18. pitch — completely
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fall — the season
  21. last — finally
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. last — final
  24. stock — shares

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