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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 120 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 · pass · bulb · mate · foot · march · drill · sharp

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. drill — the tool
  3. drill — army training
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. bulb — for light
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. foot — a measure
  8. drill — a practice
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. pass — a permit
  11. sharp — clever
  12. chip — to eat
  13. march — the month
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mate — a partner
  17. march — the month
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. mate — a friend
  22. march — music
  23. mate — to breed
  24. foot — part of the body

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