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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 120 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's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pop — music
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pop — soda
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — a position
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. chip — for betting
  12. board — to get on
  13. ground — crushed
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. ground — the earth
  19. pop — to visit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. board — a committee
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. pitch — completely
  24. sharp — with an edge

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