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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: rush · pitch · bear · chip · rock · swing · ruler · stick

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. swing — music
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — to play on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rush — hurry
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. pitch — completely
  20. rock — music
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bear — the animal
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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