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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. sharp — clever
  8. fine — all right
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. craft — boats
  15. saw — the tool
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fine — high quality
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. lean — thin
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. craft — a handicraft

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