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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. pitch — completely
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. dip — to sink
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. game — wild animals
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — a match
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. racket — a loud noise

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