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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. face — part of the head
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — goods
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. rush — hurry
  7. firm — steady
  8. firm — a company
  9. ball — a dance
  10. spring — of water
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cue — a signal
  13. sharp — clever
  14. face — to confront
  15. spring — the season
  16. firm — decided
  17. spring — a coil
  18. cue — a hint
  19. face — to point toward
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. cue — for pool
  24. sharp — exactly

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