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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 120 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: bass · track · tube · cabinet · pitch · rush · chip · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pitch — completely
  3. mark — a trace
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. tube — the underground
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. tube — a container
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. track — to keep track
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. track — a song
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. mark — a grade
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. track — a path
  21. chip — to eat
  22. bass — low music
  23. chip — for betting
  24. cabinet — ministers

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