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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: deal · mark · bass · sharp · current · mine · chip · ruler

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bass — low music
  3. deal — to handle
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. mark — a grade
  6. current — electric
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. current — of water
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. chip — to eat
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. mine — for digging
  22. current — happening now
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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