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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
468
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 · staff · mine · wave · sharp · bay · craft · march

  1. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. staff — a stick
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. mine — for digging
  5. march — the month
  6. craft — boats
  7. staff — employees
  8. sharp — clever
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chip — to eat
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. march — music
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. march — the month
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. staff — employees

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