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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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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: racket · chip · bowl · sharp · stick · track · bay · arm

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. sharp — clever
  10. track — to keep track
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. track — a path
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chip — to eat
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. track — a song
  24. bowl — to roll

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