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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. kick — in football
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — clever
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. stock — goods
  11. vault — a safe
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. bulb — for light
  15. stock — shares
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. prune — to trim
  21. bulb — for light
  22. prune — to trim
  23. saw — the tool
  24. stock — a soup base

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