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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 is an ace ________________.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. swing — music
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. swing — to play on
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stand — to bear
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. swing — in golf
  14. shower — to wash
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. suit — in cards
  17. chip — for betting
  18. shower — rain
  19. squash — to crush
  20. chip — to eat
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — to sink
  24. suit — to fit

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