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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. chip — to eat
  3. game — a match
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. game — wild animals
  9. sharp — clever
  10. march — music
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pitch — completely
  16. march — the month
  17. cue — a signal
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. march — the month
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a hint
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. chip — for betting

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