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

Word bank: kid · snap · sharp · firm · rush · cap · bay · chip

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. firm — a company
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. firm — steady
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. snap — to click
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. chip — for betting
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. chip — to eat
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. kid — child
  19. cap — a lid
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — hurry
  22. kid — to tease
  23. cap — a hat
  24. cap — of ice

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