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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
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: bound · tube · chip · pitch · calf · sharp · wind · lash

  1. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. tube — the underground
  6. bound — certain
  7. chip — to eat
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. wind — moving air
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. bound — tied together
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. sharp — clever
  16. wind — moving air
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. bound — obliged
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. tube — a container
  24. chip — for betting

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