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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: dip · squash · pitcher · chair · suit · sharp · race · charge

  1. He is an ace ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. sharp — clever
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. race — the arms race
  9. suit — to fit
  10. charge — electricity
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. squash — to crush
  14. charge — a price
  15. race — a contest
  16. dip — to sink
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. race — humankind
  20. chair — a leader
  21. charge — in control
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. pitcher — a jug

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