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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: mine · stick · game · object · sharp · jam · kick · rash

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. game — wild animals
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. object — a thing
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. kick — in football
  10. rash — a series
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. object — an aim
  15. sharp — clever
  16. game — a match
  17. object — to protest
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. rash — hasty
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. mine — for digging
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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