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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — for light
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stock — shares
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spell — a short time
  11. spell — letters
  12. spell — magic
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rest — what's left
  17. bulb — for light
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a leader
  20. pit — in a race
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. pit — a hole
  23. stock — goods
  24. chair — a professorship

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