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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 120 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: band · sharp · calf · rash · rock · field · chip · bulb

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chip — for betting
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. band — a ring
  6. bulb — for light
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rock — a stone
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. chip — to eat
  14. field — a subject
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rash — hasty
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rock — music
  19. band — a music group
  20. field — farmland
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. field — for sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rash — a series

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