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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: bank · suit · ground · racket · cap · chip · sharp · foot

  1. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. bank — for money
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bank — of a river
  5. ground — the earth
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. suit — to fit
  8. sharp — clever
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. ground — a position
  13. bank — for money
  14. cap — a hat
  15. ground — crushed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. cap — a lid
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. chip — to eat
  21. chip — for betting
  22. cap — of ice
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. sharp — exactly

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