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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: drill · dip · sharp · pound · ball · chip · date · chair

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. dip — to sink
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. chair — a leader
  7. drill — the tool
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a dance
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. date — the fruit
  16. pound — a weight
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. sharp — clever
  20. drill — a practice
  21. drill — army training
  22. ball — a great time
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. chip — for betting

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