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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 116 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: bat · sharp · chip · fan · club · pass · mouse · bear

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. club — for dancing
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bat — the animal
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — clever
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. club — for golf
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. sharp — with an edge

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