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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 116 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
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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: saw · deal · chip · sharp · present · nail · dip · cap

  1. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — in a computer
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. chip — for betting
  4. cap — of ice
  5. present — the time now
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. sharp — clever
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chip — to eat
  11. present — a gift
  12. deal — to handle
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. dip — to sink
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. present — there
  17. cap — a hat
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. cap — a lid
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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