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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: fan · saw · pitch · mark · race · sharp · chip · suit

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. suit — clothes
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pitch — completely
  7. saw — the tool
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. sharp — clever
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. mark — a trace
  18. race — humankind
  19. mark — a grade
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. race — a contest

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