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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. chip — for betting
  3. chip — to eat
  4. band — a ring
  5. bass — the fish
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. rush — hurry
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bass — low music
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. bark — to shout
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. pass — a permit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. sharp — clever

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