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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  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 — with an edge
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. march — the month
  5. firm — a company
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. firm — steady
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pitch — completely
  13. march — the month
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — clever
  16. snap — to click
  17. tube — the underground
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. march — music
  20. firm — decided
  21. tube — a container
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. tube — in a tire
  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