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

Word bank: fine · sharp · chair · chip · prune · ruler · bay · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. David sat on the ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. chip — to eat
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. swing — in golf
  6. swing — to play on
  7. prune — to trim
  8. chip — for betting
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. fine — all right
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fine — high quality
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. chair — a leader
  21. prune — to trim
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. sharp — clever

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