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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: sharp · spring · bay · bank · chip · track · cell · rock

  1. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. He was locked up in a ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. spring — of water
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — for betting
  6. cell — in a prison
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cell — in biology
  9. rock — a stone
  10. track — a song
  11. rock — music
  12. spring — the season
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bank — for money
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. spring — a coil
  20. track — a path
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. chip — to eat
  24. track — to keep track

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