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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.

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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: bass · swing · sharp · deal · firm · chip · roll · trunk

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. firm — a company
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. roll — a list
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. chip — to eat
  9. swing — in golf
  10. bass — the fish
  11. chip — for betting
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. bass — low music
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. firm — decided
  17. swing — to play on
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. sharp — clever
  20. swing — music
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. deal — to handle
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. firm — steady

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