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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: bank · saw · arm · bulb · chip · sharp · calf · season

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. bulb — for light
  5. season — in sport
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — clever
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. chip — for betting
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. bulb — for light
  17. saw — the tool
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bank — for money
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — of the year
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. chip — to eat

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