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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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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: bore · chip · pitch · toast · coach · scale · bat · pop

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  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. bat — in an idiom
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. toast — bread
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. scale — size or range
  7. pop — soda
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. pitch — completely
  12. pop — to visit
  13. chip — for betting
  14. scale — in music
  15. bore — to tire
  16. bore — to drill
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. bat — the animal
  23. pop — music
  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