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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: sharp · date · pop · content · current · wax · hide · chip

  1. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pop — music
  6. sharp — clever
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pop — to visit
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. current — happening now
  12. date — the fruit
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. content — happy
  15. pop — soda
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. current — electric
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. wax — to grow
  20. current — of water
  21. content — the amount
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. chip — to eat

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