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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. wound — an injury
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a great time
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. ball — a dance
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. stock — goods
  14. mark — a trace
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. stock — shares
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. charge — a price
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. charge — electricity
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. charge — in control

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