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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. chair — a leader
  3. pit — in a race
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. squash — to crush
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. pit — a hole
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. net — in sport
  10. squash — the sport
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. march — the month
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. sharp — clever
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. net — for catching
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. march — the month
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. march — music
  24. net — after costs

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