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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  20. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. object — an aim
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. net — for catching
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. race — a contest
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — a thing
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. net — in sport
  13. kick — in football
  14. net — after costs
  15. bulb — for light
  16. object — to protest
  17. sharp — clever
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. race — humankind
  20. race — the arms race
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bulb — for light
  24. prune — to trim

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