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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: bat · kid · key · lean · object · pit · current · sharp

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. lean — thin
  4. pit — a hole
  5. sharp — clever
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. key — in music
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. current — happening now
  10. object — an aim
  11. pit — in a race
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. current — electric
  14. kid — child
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. object — to protest
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bat — the animal
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. key — the most important part
  21. current — of water
  22. key — for a lock
  23. lean — to bend
  24. object — a thing

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