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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ground — a position
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. sharp — clever
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. prune — to trim
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. game — wild animals
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — to bear
  22. game — a match
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. saw — the tool

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