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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: bark · chip · toast · track · last · sharp · suit · game

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. bark — to shout
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. suit — in cards
  5. chip — to eat
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chip — for betting
  8. game — wild animals
  9. track — to keep track
  10. last — final
  11. track — a path
  12. toast — bread
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. track — a song
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. game — a match
  18. last — finally
  19. suit — to fit
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. suit — clothes
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. chip — in a computer

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