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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: sharp · pitcher · chip · fine · nail · spell · drill · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. drill — a practice
  5. chip — for betting
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. fine — all right
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — to eat
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. spell — a short time
  12. bass — low music
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. drill — the tool
  18. spell — magic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. spell — letters
  23. sharp — clever
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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