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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. key — the most important part
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. rule — government
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. bore — to drill
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. fork — in a road
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. sharp — clever
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. jam — a tight spot

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