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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. saw — the tool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. saw — the tool
  5. bank — for money
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mate — to breed
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bank — of a river
  13. net — after costs
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. sharp — clever
  16. bank — for money
  17. mate — a partner
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. net — in sport
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. net — for catching
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. mate — a friend
  24. leaves — of a tree

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