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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — high quality
  5. ground — crushed
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. suit — to fit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. chip — for betting
  11. scale — size or range
  12. scale — in music
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. ground — the earth
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. fine — all right
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — to eat
  21. ground — a position
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. bowl — a dish

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