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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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. net — for catching
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pound — a weight
  5. net — after costs
  6. craft — boats
  7. can — to be able to
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. saw — the tool
  10. current — happening now
  11. cue — a signal
  12. craft — a skill
  13. can — a tin
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. current — of water
  17. can — a tin
  18. cue — for pool
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. current — electric
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. net — in sport
  24. sharp — clever

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