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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. bank — for money
  4. sharp — clever
  5. face — to point toward
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. face — to confront
  9. ball — a great time
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. season — of the year
  13. game — a match
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. ball — a dance
  16. bank — of a river
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. face — part of the head
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. season — in sport
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rush — hurry

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