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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: suit · fork · pop · sharp · ball · lean · rash · tear

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. tear — from crying
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. suit — to fit
  6. pop — soda
  7. fork — in a road
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ball — a dance
  11. lean — thin
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rash — a series
  15. suit — in cards
  16. tear — to rip
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pop — to visit
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. pop — music
  24. suit — clothes

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