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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. bank — of a river
  7. sharp — clever
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cue — a hint
  11. wound — an injury
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. ball — a great time
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bank — for money
  16. game — a match
  17. wound — an injury
  18. cue — for pool
  19. tube — a container
  20. game — wild animals
  21. ball — a dance
  22. cue — a signal
  23. bank — for money
  24. tube — the underground

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