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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: bowl · cell · lean · sharp · trunk · ground · mug · stick

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. lean — to bend
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mug — to rob
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mug — a cup
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. mug — a face
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cell — a phone
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lean — thin
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. ground — crushed
  21. ground — a position
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. sharp — with an edge

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