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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: sharp · object · pit · chair · chip · pitcher · craft · fan

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. object — to protest
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pit — a hole
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. chip — for betting
  8. sharp — clever
  9. craft — boats
  10. craft — a skill
  11. object — an aim
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — in a race
  15. object — a thing
  16. chip — to eat
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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