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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. tube — a container
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. squash — to crush
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. tube — the underground
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. craft — a skill
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. pitch — completely
  22. chip — for betting
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. chip — to eat

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