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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: sharp · chip · cabinet · mark · rock · tube · jam · board

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mark — a trace
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. chip — for betting
  8. tube — a container
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. board — a committee
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. chip — to eat
  16. tube — the underground
  17. sharp — clever
  18. rock — music
  19. mark — a grade
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. rock — a stone

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