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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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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. chip — for betting
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. squash — the sport
  6. chip — to eat
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. spring — a coil
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mug — to rob
  13. sharp — clever
  14. squash — to crush
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. spring — the season
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. toast — bread
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. mug — a face
  23. spring — of water
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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