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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. chip — for betting
  7. staff — a stick
  8. degree — an amount
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spell — magic
  12. chip — to eat
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. spell — a short time
  15. deal — to handle
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. staff — employees
  18. staff — employees
  19. suit — in cards
  20. bark — to shout
  21. degree — from a university
  22. spell — letters
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bark — of a tree

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