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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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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. present — the time now
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. shower — rain
  5. present — there
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. rule — government
  8. lie — to recline
  9. cue — a signal
  10. capital — a city
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — for light
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. cue — a hint
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — a gift
  19. capital — money
  20. shower — to wash
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cue — for pool
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. rule — a law

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