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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — a break
  6. sharp — clever
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cap — a hat
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. chip — for betting
  12. pitch — completely
  13. cap — a lid
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rest — what's left
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. perch — the fish
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. cap — of ice
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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