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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: game · racket · net · suit · bulb · calf · sharp · drill

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. drill — a practice
  3. bulb — for light
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. net — after costs
  8. suit — in cards
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. game — a match
  12. drill — army training
  13. bulb — for light
  14. net — for catching
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. suit — to fit
  20. net — in sport
  21. sharp — clever
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. drill — the tool
  24. racket — a loud noise

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