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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 120 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  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. object — a thing
  3. bore — to tire
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. stock — shares
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. bear — the animal
  10. object — to protest
  11. stock — goods
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bore — to drill
  16. object — an aim
  17. bear — the animal
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. plane — a tool
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  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