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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: prune · sharp · temple · chip · cabinet · shower · hide · snap

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. chip — for betting
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. shower — rain
  13. prune — to trim
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. chip — to eat
  16. prune — to trim
  17. shower — to wash
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. snap — to click
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. sharp — clever
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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