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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. can — a tin
  3. chip — to eat
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. mate — to breed
  6. kick — in football
  7. ground — a position
  8. can — a tin
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — clever
  11. chip — for betting
  12. rock — music
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. ground — crushed
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mate — a friend
  21. mate — a partner
  22. rock — a stone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ground — the earth

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