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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pit — a hole
  3. bass — the fish
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. prune — to trim
  10. charge — electricity
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bass — low music
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. charge — a price
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — in a race
  20. prune — to trim
  21. sharp — clever
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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