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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. chip — for betting
  3. craft — a skill
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. pop — soda
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chip — to eat
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pop — to visit
  13. craft — boats
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pop — music
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bat — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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