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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. key — the most important part
  4. sharp — clever
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. pop — to visit
  9. board — a committee
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. board — to get on
  12. pop — soda
  13. wake — a trail
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. key — for a lock
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — music
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. key — in music
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. season — in sport
  23. season — of the year
  24. board — a flat piece

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