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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 ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. bank — for money
  2. mug — to rob
  3. court — of law
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mug — a cup
  6. present — the time now
  7. bank — for money
  8. rash — a series
  9. chip — to eat
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bank — of a river
  12. present — there
  13. mug — a face
  14. chip — for betting
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. present — a gift
  17. court — of a king
  18. season — in sport
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. rash — hasty
  22. court — for sport
  23. season — of the year
  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