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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 120 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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. kick — in football
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pass — a permit
  9. capital — a city
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. capital — money
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. snap — to click
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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