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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 120 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: sharp · wake · object · ground · bay · chip · fork · fan

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ground — the earth
  3. chip — for betting
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. object — to protest
  8. ground — crushed
  9. chip — to eat
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. object — a thing
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — clever
  16. ground — a position
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wake — a trail
  19. object — an aim
  20. fork — in a road
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fork — a garden tool

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