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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.

Make a worksheet

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: sharp · rock · pit · hide · stand · spring · net · ruler

  1. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. rock — music
  4. net — after costs
  5. rock — a stone
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. pit — a hole
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. spring — of water
  11. stand — to bear
  12. spring — the season
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. net — for catching
  17. net — in sport
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. sharp — clever
  23. spring — a coil
  24. pit — in a race

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