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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. game — a match
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. chip — for betting
  5. saw — the tool
  6. dip — to sink
  7. can — a tin
  8. swing — in golf
  9. can — a tin
  10. pit — in a race
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. swing — to play on
  13. chip — to eat
  14. can — to be able to
  15. stand — to bear
  16. pit — a hole
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. game — wild animals
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. swing — music
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. dip — to dunk

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