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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. fork — in a road
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. chest — of your body
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. firm — steady
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. rock — music
  12. charge — electricity
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. charge — in control
  15. charge — a price
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. chest — of your body
  18. rock — a stone
  19. firm — a company
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. chest — a box
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. firm — decided

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