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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 116 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
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: season · pitch · stand · content · chair · rash · chip · lean

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. content — happy
  5. content — the amount
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — of the year
  10. pitch — completely
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. rash — hasty
  14. chip — for betting
  15. lean — to bend
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rash — a series
  19. lean — thin
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. stand — to bear
  23. season — in sport
  24. chip — to eat

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