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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.

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: racket · fork · cabinet · ball · sharp · firm · suit · file

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. suit — clothes
  3. suit — to fit
  4. firm — a company
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. firm — steady
  10. suit — in cards
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. fork — in a road
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. file — a document
  19. firm — decided
  20. ball — a great time
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. file — a line of people
  23. sharp — clever
  24. file — a tool

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