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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. club — for dancing
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rest — what's left
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. rest — what's left
  14. club — for golf
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. rest — a break
  19. sharp — clever
  20. club — a group
  21. pass — a permit
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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