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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.

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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 · bowl · craft · rule · leaves · ground · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. sharp — clever
  3. season — of the year
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. object — a thing
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. season — in sport
  12. ground — a position
  13. craft — boats
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. ground — the earth
  18. object — to protest
  19. ground — crushed
  20. rule — government
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. rule — a law
  24. season — to add flavour

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