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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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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: saw · wake · object · ball · kick · ground · sharp · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. saw — the tool
  4. object — a thing
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. ground — the earth
  7. pit — a hole
  8. wake — a trail
  9. ground — crushed
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. kick — in football
  13. sharp — clever
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — to protest
  21. ball — a dance
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. object — an aim

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