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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. mug — a face
  6. pit — in a race
  7. degree — temperature
  8. mug — to rob
  9. degree — an amount
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bound — tied together
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chip — to eat
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. degree — from a university
  21. chip — for betting
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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