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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: chip · sharp · pop · row · current · key · lash · bay

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. row — to paddle
  3. current — of water
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pop — to visit
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. key — for a lock
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. chip — to eat
  13. row — a line
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. current — electric
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. pop — soda
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. current — happening now
  20. pop — music
  21. chip — for betting
  22. key — in music
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. key — the most important part

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