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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. spring — of water
  4. deal — to handle
  5. season — in sport
  6. game — a match
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. press — newspapers
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. game — wild animals
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. press — to push
  18. spring — the season
  19. season — of the year
  20. plane — a tool
  21. press — a publisher
  22. spring — a coil
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. game — a kind of play

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