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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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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 · fan · chip · bowl · racket · stick · toast · season

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. toast — bread
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. pit — a hole
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. season — in sport
  13. pit — in a race
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. season — of the year
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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