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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. fine — high quality
  4. suit — in cards
  5. row — a line
  6. field — for sport
  7. sharp — clever
  8. field — farmland
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — a skill
  11. row — to paddle
  12. key — in music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. field — a subject
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. suit — to fit
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — boats
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fine — all right

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