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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: chip · firm · trunk · sharp · fan · pitch · race · object

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. race — the arms race
  3. object — an aim
  4. firm — a company
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. sharp — clever
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. pitch — completely
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. object — to protest
  15. race — humankind
  16. chip — to eat
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — for betting
  22. object — a thing
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — steady

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