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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. We're almost out of ________________.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. rest — what's left
  4. row — to paddle
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. bound — certain
  10. mate — a friend
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. pop — music
  13. mate — a partner
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mate — to breed
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pop — to visit
  18. pop — soda
  19. row — a line
  20. sharp — clever
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. rest — a break
  23. game — a match
  24. rest — what's left

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