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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. rock — a stone
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. last — to go on
  7. rule — government
  8. rock — music
  9. club — for golf
  10. last — finally
  11. wound — an injury
  12. club — for dancing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rule — a law
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. last — final
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. club — a group
  24. wound — an injury

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