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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: bay · sharp · pop · chip · pitch · board · bark · lean

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — to visit
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. board — to get on
  6. lean — to bend
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. board — a committee
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lean — thin
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bark — to shout
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chip — to eat
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. pop — soda

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