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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
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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: chip · bowl · sharp · mouse · lean · file · bass · coach

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. chip — for betting
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. file — a document
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. lean — to bend
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. bass — low music
  10. file — a tool
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. file — a line of people
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. lean — thin
  22. chip — to eat
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bass — the instrument

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