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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. sharp — clever
  5. club — for golf
  6. net — for catching
  7. club — for dancing
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. bound — certain
  11. rock — a stone
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. club — a group
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. net — after costs
  16. bound — tied together
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bound — obliged
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. net — in sport
  22. rock — music
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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