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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
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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: bark · degree · chip · plane · cabinet · sharp · pit · stick

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. bark — to shout
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. degree — from a university
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. chip — to eat
  12. degree — an amount
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. plane — a tool
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. pit — in a race
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. pit — a hole
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. degree — temperature
  24. cabinet — ministers

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