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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: lean · swing · fork · object · mark · sharp · bear · ground

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. swing — in golf
  3. object — an aim
  4. ground — the earth
  5. object — a thing
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. bear — the animal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. object — to protest
  14. ground — a position
  15. bear — the animal
  16. mark — a trace
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. swing — music
  19. swing — to play on
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. fork — in a road
  22. lean — thin
  23. ground — crushed
  24. bear — to put up with

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