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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wind — moving air
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. kick — in football
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. chip — for betting
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. dip — to sink
  22. chair — a leader
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. wind — moving air

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