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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: cap · track · board · chip · fine · mug · pitch · hand

  1. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a committee
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. cap — a hat
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. track — a song
  6. chip — for betting
  7. hand — in cards
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mug — to rob
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. track — to keep track
  15. fine — all right
  16. track — a path
  17. mug — a face
  18. board — to get on
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. cap — a lid
  21. mug — a cup
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pitch — completely

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