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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  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 — exactly
  2. chip — for betting
  3. tube — a container
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. chip — to eat
  6. sharp — clever
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. present — there
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — for money
  12. stock — shares
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. stock — goods
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. present — the time now
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — the underground
  22. bank — for money
  23. trunk — of a tree
  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