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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: sharp · bulb · dip · rock · pitcher · prune · last · chip

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. last — to go on
  3. rock — music
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. last — final
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bulb — for light
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. bulb — for light
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. last — finally
  18. chip — for betting
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. chip — to eat
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. dip — to dunk

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