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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pitcher · bowl · plane · object · chip · sharp · dip · mouse

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. object — an aim
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. plane — a tool
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. object — to protest
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — to sink
  11. chip — for betting
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. object — a thing
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. bowl — to roll

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