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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fan · bear · dip · sharp · chip · bay

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chip — for betting
  6. sharp — clever
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chip — to eat
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. fan — a supporter

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