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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
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: pitcher · fan · can · sharp · club · chip · hide · file

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. can — a tin
  3. club — for golf
  4. file — a tool
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — for betting
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. can — to be able to
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. sharp — clever
  14. chip — to eat
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. can — a tin
  18. file — a document
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. file — a line of people
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. club — for dancing

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