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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. row — a line
  3. rock — a stone
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bulb — for light
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. perch — the fish
  9. row — to paddle
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. tube — the underground
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rock — music
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — clever
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. tube — a container

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