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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: wave · pitcher · kid · stand · sharp · net · leaves · key

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. kid — child
  3. net — in sport
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stand — to bear
  8. sharp — clever
  9. net — after costs
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. net — for catching
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. key — in music
  20. key — for a lock
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. kid — to tease
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. sharp — with an edge

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