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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: bass · bulb · chip · calf · sharp · race · hide · charge

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bulb — for light
  4. chip — to eat
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. chip — for betting
  7. charge — a price
  8. bass — low music
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. charge — in control
  13. race — humankind
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bulb — for light
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. sharp — clever
  18. charge — electricity
  19. race — a contest
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bass — the fish
  24. sharp — with an edge

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