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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. staff — employees
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. staff — a stick
  7. net — after costs
  8. lie — to recline
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. season — of the year
  11. capital — money
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. staff — employees
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. season — in sport
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. capital — a city
  21. sharp — clever
  22. net — for catching
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. net — in sport

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