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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: roll · deal · rush · straw · chip · season · sharp · current

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. current — happening now
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. current — electric
  6. roll — a list
  7. chip — to eat
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rush — hurry
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. season — in sport
  14. roll — a cake
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. current — of water
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. season — of the year
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. chip — for betting
  24. deal — to handle

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