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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. rest — a break
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. ball — a great time
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. rock — music
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. rest — what's left
  13. ball — a dance
  14. rock — a stone
  15. mark — a trace
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. mark — a grade
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. bass — low music
  24. mark — to pay attention

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