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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: chip · track · charge · hide · pitch · spell · capital · arm

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. track — a song
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. track — a path
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. spell — magic
  11. capital — money
  12. capital — a big letter
  13. charge — a price
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. spell — letters
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. charge — in control
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. capital — a city
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chip — for betting
  24. pitch — a sports field

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