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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.

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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bound — tied together
  6. wound — an injury
  7. firm — a company
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. firm — decided
  11. can — a tin
  12. prune — to trim
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. firm — steady
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bound — certain
  21. straw — a straw man
  22. can — a tin
  23. bound — obliged
  24. sharp — clever

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