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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.

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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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mug — a cup
  4. court — for sport
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. rock — a stone
  7. mug — to rob
  8. ball — a great time
  9. court — of law
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fork — in a road
  17. rock — music
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. sharp — clever
  21. court — of a king
  22. ball — a dance
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. nail — for a hammer

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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