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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: sharp · bear · plane · bowl · chip · bulb · trunk · wound

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bulb — for light
  9. wound — an injury
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. wound — an injury
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bear — 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