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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 120 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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. foot — a measure
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bear — the animal
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. staff — employees
  8. staff — a stick
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. object — to protest
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. staff — employees
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. wake — a trail
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. object — a thing
  22. board — to get on
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. object — an aim

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