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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. club — for golf
  4. club — for dancing
  5. spell — magic
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. lie — to recline
  8. suit — to fit
  9. race — the arms race
  10. kid — to tease
  11. spell — a short time
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. race — a contest
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. club — a group
  18. spell — letters
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. sharp — clever
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kid — child
  23. race — humankind
  24. lie — an untruth

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