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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 120 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: bore · lean · firm · sharp · game · wake · current · ball

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. game — wild animals
  5. firm — a company
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — decided
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bore — to tire
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wake — a trail
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. ball — a great time
  18. current — of water
  19. current — happening now
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ball — a dance
  23. current — electric
  24. lean — thin

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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