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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — in cards
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. suit — clothes
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. chip — for betting
  9. last — to go on
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. kid — to tease
  12. chip — to eat
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. last — final
  18. game — a match
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. suit — to fit
  22. last — finally
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. game — wild animals

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