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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rule — a law
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. season — of the year
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fall — to drop
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. present — a gift
  12. sharp — clever
  13. season — in sport
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fall — to drop
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. rule — government
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. present — there
  22. fall — the season
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. present — the time now

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