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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 · wind · pitch · bay · chip · bulb · ball · plane

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ball — a dance
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. bulb — for light
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wind — moving air
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. plane — a tool
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitch — completely
  19. chip — for betting
  20. sharp — clever
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. chip — to eat
  24. ball — a great time

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