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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: fine · perch · sharp · root · bass · wave · chip · craft

  1. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. perch — for a bird
  2. chip — to eat
  3. fine — all right
  4. bass — the fish
  5. root — of a plant
  6. fine — high quality
  7. root — of a word
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. craft — boats
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. bass — low music
  15. root — the cause
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. chip — for betting
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. sharp — clever

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