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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mate — a partner
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. sharp — clever
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. press — to push
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mate — to breed
  19. bass — the fish
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mate — a friend
  22. press — a publisher
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. bass — low music

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