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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. degree — an amount
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. tear — from crying
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. tear — from crying
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. degree — from a university
  17. tear — to rip
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. deal — to handle
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. degree — temperature
  24. deal — an agreement

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