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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. drill — a practice
  3. suit — in cards
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mine — for digging
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bulb — for light
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bulb — for light
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. suit — clothes
  18. chair — a leader
  19. suit — to fit
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. drill — army training
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mine — an explosive
  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