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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.

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: sharp · present · object · pop · pitcher · field · wave · mark

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. present — there
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. field — farmland
  6. sharp — clever
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. present — the time now
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. pop — soda
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mark — a trace
  15. present — a gift
  16. object — a thing
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pop — to visit
  19. field — a subject
  20. pop — music
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. field — for sport
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. object — to protest

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