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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 120 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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. drill — army training
  4. sharp — clever
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. ball — a great time
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. stem — to come from
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. suit — in cards
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ball — a dance
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. drill — the tool
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. suit — clothes
  23. drill — a practice
  24. pass — to succeed

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