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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 · chip · fine · cabinet · pitch · ground · branch · bay

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ground — the earth
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. rush — hurry
  6. chip — for betting
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. fine — high quality
  14. ground — a position
  15. branch — a division
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. pitch — completely
  20. chip — to eat
  21. fine — all right
  22. ground — crushed
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. chip — in a computer

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