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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 116 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
468
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: pit · sharp · clip · suit · hand · net · chip · stick

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — for catching
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chip — for betting
  6. suit — to fit
  7. clip — a video
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — in cards
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. suit — in cards
  14. sharp — clever
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. clip — for paper
  17. clip — to cut
  18. net — in sport
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. net — after costs
  21. pit — a hole
  22. chip — to eat
  23. hand — help
  24. pit — in a race

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