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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bark · pitch · chip · rock · club · court · date · board

  1. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. club — a group
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. club — for dancing
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. chip — to eat
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. club — for golf
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pitch — completely
  12. court — of a king
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. date — the fruit
  17. bark — to shout
  18. board — a committee
  19. chip — for betting
  20. court — of law
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. board — to get on
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. rock — to move gently

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