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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. spell — letters
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. spell — magic
  7. bulb — for light
  8. suit — to fit
  9. kid — to tease
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — clothes
  12. club — for golf
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. suit — in cards
  20. club — a group
  21. kid — child
  22. club — for dancing
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. spell — a short time

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