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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: rush · bound · sharp · racket · object · cold · can · present

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. present — the time now
  4. bound — obliged
  5. present — there
  6. object — an aim
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. object — a thing
  10. cold — an illness
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. object — to protest
  13. sharp — clever
  14. bound — tied together
  15. can — a tin
  16. present — a gift
  17. cold — not warm
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. bound — certain
  21. rush — hurry
  22. can — to be able to
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. rush — a thrill

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