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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — boats
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. charge — electricity
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. spell — letters
  14. plane — a tool
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the sport
  17. charge — in control
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. charge — a price
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. craft — a skill
  23. spell — a short time
  24. spell — magic

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