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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 120 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: hide · wake · file · sharp · suit · pitch · dip · racket

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. sharp — clever
  4. file — a tool
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. suit — in cards
  9. dip — to sink
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. suit — to fit
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pitch — completely
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. wake — a trail
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. file — a document
  24. suit — clothes

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