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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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. file — a tool
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. fork — in a road
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. staff — employees
  8. file — a document
  9. ball — a great time
  10. drill — the tool
  11. file — a line of people
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. dip — to sink
  18. suit — to fit
  19. ball — a dance
  20. drill — army training
  21. drill — a practice
  22. suit — in cards
  23. staff — a stick
  24. suit — clothes

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