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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. ground — the earth
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. face — to point toward
  8. ground — a position
  9. ground — crushed
  10. charge — in control
  11. charge — a price
  12. face — part of the head
  13. charge — electricity
  14. sharp — clever
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. face — to confront
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. season — in sport
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. straw — dry grass

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