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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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bank — for money
  3. bank — for money
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bank — of a river
  6. charge — in control
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. game — a match
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. spell — magic
  11. prune — to trim
  12. sharp — clever
  13. prune — to trim
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. spell — letters
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. spell — a short time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. charge — electricity
  21. charge — a price
  22. game — wild animals
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wave — of the sea

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