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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — to eat
  7. wound — an injury
  8. fork — in a road
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. firm — a company
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. firm — decided
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wound — an injury
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. saw — the tool
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. firm — steady
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. bowl — to roll
  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