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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 120 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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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: sharp · ball · ground · bear · squash · lean · wave · drill

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. ground — crushed
  6. lean — thin
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. ball — a great time
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. drill — army training
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. sharp — clever
  19. ball — a dance
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. drill — a practice

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