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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
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: leaves · spell · chair · sharp · chip · date · pound · cap

  1. Have you settled on a ________________?
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pound — a weight
  5. cap — a hat
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. sharp — clever
  11. spell — letters
  12. chip — to eat
  13. chip — for betting
  14. chair — a leader
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. spell — a short time
  18. date — the fruit
  19. spell — magic
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a lid

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