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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. season — of the year
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. season — in sport
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. lie — to recline
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. band — a music group
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. band — a ring
  22. sharp — clever
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. sharp — exactly

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