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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — temperature
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. degree — from a university
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. suit — in cards
  11. face — to point toward
  12. track — a path
  13. face — part of the head
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. track — a song
  16. sharp — clever
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. track — to keep track
  21. face — to confront
  22. foot — a measure
  23. suit — clothes
  24. degree — an amount

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