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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. object — a thing
  4. chip — to eat
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. object — to protest
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. object — an aim
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. chip — for betting

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