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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. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. track — to keep track
  6. rash — a series
  7. lie — to recline
  8. lean — thin
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. season — of the year
  11. track — a path
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. saw — the tool
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. track — a song
  22. rash — hasty
  23. season — in sport
  24. lean — to bend

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