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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bass — low music
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bass — the fish
  6. sharp — clever
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fine — high quality
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. bore — to tire
  16. suit — to fit
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chip — for betting
  19. bore — to drill
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. suit — in cards

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