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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: racket · pitch · bore · toast · club · saw · cabinet · sharp

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. club — for golf
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. club — a group
  6. toast — bread
  7. sharp — clever
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bore — to tire
  10. club — for dancing
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pitch — completely
  13. saw — the tool
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. bore — to drill

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