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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. fork — in a road
  7. present — the time now
  8. rock — music
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. present — there
  12. net — after costs
  13. can — a tin
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. net — for catching
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. present — a gift
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. stand — to bear
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. can — to be able to
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. can — a tin

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