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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. pitch — completely
  4. wax — to grow
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. chip — for betting
  7. can — to be able to
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. craft — boats
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. craft — a skill
  23. chip — to eat
  24. can — a tin

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