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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. drill — army training
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. lie — to recline
  5. drill — a practice
  6. sharp — clever
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. roll — a cake
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — to eat
  17. roll — a list
  18. wound — an injury
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — the tool
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. bear — the animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bear — to put up with

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