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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. wake — a trail
  3. object — an aim
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. swing — music
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bore — to tire
  9. march — the month
  10. march — music
  11. bore — to drill
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. swing — in golf
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — a thing
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. march — the month
  20. object — to protest
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. swing — to play on

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