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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. wake — a trail
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. stock — goods
  10. rest — a break
  11. rest — what's left
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — a tool
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. stock — shares

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