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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. season — in sport
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. face — to point toward
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. spell — a short time
  7. suit — to fit
  8. sharp — clever
  9. rest — what's left
  10. face — to confront
  11. face — part of the head
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. rest — what's left
  15. spell — letters
  16. club — a group
  17. suit — clothes
  18. club — for dancing
  19. suit — in cards
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. spell — magic
  23. season — of the year
  24. club — for golf

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