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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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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: rock · board · rash · pitch · row · ruler · chip · land

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. board — a committee
  3. row — to paddle
  4. land — ground
  5. rash — hasty
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. land — a country
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. pitch — completely
  11. land — to come down
  12. rock — music
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chip — for betting
  15. row — a line
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. rash — a series
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. board — to get on
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. rock — a stone
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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