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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
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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 · season · rush · pound · trunk · can · foot · game

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. pound — a weight
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. game — a match
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. can — a tin
  10. season — of the year
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. season — in sport
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. game — wild animals
  18. foot — a measure
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. can — to be able to
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. can — a tin
  24. rush — hurry

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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