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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. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pitch — completely
  5. rash — hasty
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. spring — of water
  8. suit — to fit
  9. club — a group
  10. sharp — clever
  11. rash — a series
  12. row — to paddle
  13. lean — to bend
  14. lean — thin
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spring — a coil
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. spring — the season
  20. suit — in cards
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — for golf
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. rash — on the skin

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