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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — for betting
  5. current — happening now
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. current — of water
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. vault — a safe
  10. chip — to eat
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. sharp — clever
  13. wound — an injury
  14. season — in sport
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. current — electric
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. season — of the year
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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