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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 116 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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. stock — shares
  7. chip — to eat
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. sharp — clever
  15. stock — goods
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. plane — a tool
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rush — hurry
  21. stand — to bear
  22. chip — for betting
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. trunk — of a car

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