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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: mate · mouse · sharp · chip · current · content · craft · bear

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mate — a friend
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. content — happy
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mate — to breed
  9. current — happening now
  10. chip — to eat
  11. current — electric
  12. bear — the animal
  13. mate — a partner
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. content — the amount
  16. chip — for betting
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. current — of water
  21. sharp — clever
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. mouse — the animal

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