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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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. pit — a hole
  4. wax — to grow
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — a stick
  8. spring — the season
  9. pit — in a race
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. spring — a coil
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. staff — employees
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. spring — of water
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. foot — a measure

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