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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lean — to bend
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bass — the fish
  10. bass — low music
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pitch — completely
  13. can — a tin
  14. can — a tin
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pit — a hole
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — all right
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. sharp — clever
  23. mark — a trace
  24. sharp — exactly

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