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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. stock — shares
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. sharp — clever
  7. plane — a tool
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stock — goods
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. kid — to tease
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. kid — child
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. saw — the tool
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. saw — the tool

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