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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: spring · suit · hide · date · chip · game · nail · sharp

  1. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — the season
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. sharp — clever
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spring — of water
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. spring — a coil
  9. suit — to fit
  10. suit — in cards
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. chip — to eat
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. date — the fruit
  17. game — a match
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. game — wild animals
  24. nail — for a hammer

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