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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.

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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: sharp · mouse · rush · chip · trunk · squash · bank · charge

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. bank — for money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. chip — for betting
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. bank — for money
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. squash — the sport
  13. charge — a price
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. charge — electricity
  17. charge — in control
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bank — of a river
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. squash — to crush
  24. chip — to eat

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