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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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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: race · wind · chip · kick · board · pitch · firm · lean

  1. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. chip — to eat
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. race — humankind
  5. firm — decided
  6. lean — to bend
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. race — a contest
  9. board — to get on
  10. chip — for betting
  11. race — the arms race
  12. firm — a company
  13. wind — moving air
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. kick — in football
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. lean — thin
  18. wind — moving air
  19. board — a committee
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. firm — steady
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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