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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. ball — a great time
  10. pitch — completely
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. sharp — clever
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. ball — a dance
  18. pitch — a sports field

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