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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: chip · bass · face · foot · bark · leaves · sharp · current

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. face — part of the head
  3. chip — for betting
  4. current — electric
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. current — happening now
  7. bass — the fish
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bass — low music
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. sharp — clever
  13. foot — a measure
  14. current — of water
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — to confront
  18. bark — to shout
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. chip — in a computer

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