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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. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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. cap — a hat
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. cap — of ice
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. last — final
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mate — a friend
  15. lie — to recline
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. last — to go on
  19. mate — to breed
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. cap — a lid
  22. mate — a partner
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. last — finally

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