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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: pitch · rash · bark · chair · toast · firm · chip · ball

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. pitch — completely
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bark — to shout
  9. rash — hasty
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. ball — a great time
  14. toast — bread
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. firm — a company
  20. firm — decided
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. ball — a dance
  24. rash — a series

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