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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: game · saw · rock · suit · face · can · sharp · net

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — a stone
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. game — a match
  6. rock — music
  7. sharp — clever
  8. face — to confront
  9. can — a tin
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. saw — the tool
  12. net — for catching
  13. face — to point toward
  14. net — in sport
  15. face — part of the head
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. game — wild animals
  18. can — to be able to
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — to fit
  21. can — a tin
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. net — after costs
  24. suit — in cards

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