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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.

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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: sharp · season · lie · cabinet · current · ball · trunk · rest

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. sharp — clever
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. season — in sport
  5. rest — what's left
  6. current — happening now
  7. ball — a dance
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. season — of the year
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. current — of water
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. rest — what's left
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. current — electric
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. ball — a great time

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