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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. suit — clothes
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. row — to paddle
  7. sharp — clever
  8. content — happy
  9. row — a line
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. content — the amount
  15. fall — the season
  16. club — a group
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for golf
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. suit — to fit
  23. club — for dancing
  24. content — videos and posts

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