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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.

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: band · chip · saw · mine · jam · vault · wave · sharp

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. saw — the tool
  5. band — a ring
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. chip — to eat
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. band — a music group
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. mine — for digging
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chip — for betting
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. sharp — with an edge

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