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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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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: wake · foot · mate · wind · bulb · chip · roll · sharp

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. chip — to eat
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. chip — for betting
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. wake — a trail
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — a list
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. mate — a friend
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bulb — for light
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. bulb — for light
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — clever

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