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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: wind · ball · lie · kick · sharp · rock · press · chip

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. kick — in football
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. sharp — clever
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. ball — a dance
  9. rock — music
  10. press — to push
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. lie — to recline
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — a stone
  16. wind — moving air
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. chip — for betting
  19. press — newspapers
  20. chip — to eat
  21. press — a publisher
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. ball — a great time
  24. kick — with a leg

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