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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. can — a tin
  2. suit — clothes
  3. field — farmland
  4. spell — a short time
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. can — a tin
  8. suit — to fit
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. spell — letters
  11. spell — magic
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pitch — completely
  15. bound — obliged
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. field — for sport
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. field — a subject
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. suit — in cards
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bound — certain
  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