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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: spring · tube · pound · hide · chip · pass · sharp · craft

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. pound — a weight
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. sharp — clever
  5. chip — to eat
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. craft — boats
  9. craft — a skill
  10. spring — a coil
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. spring — of water
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. tube — a container
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. spring — the season
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. hide — animal skin

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