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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: rash · racket · hide · pit · club · mug · row · sharp

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. rash — a series
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. row — a line
  6. pit — in a race
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mug — a cup
  11. pit — a hole
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — a group
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. rash — hasty
  18. row — to paddle
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. club — for golf
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mug — to rob
  24. mug — a face

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