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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mug — a cup
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mug — to rob
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fine — all right
  8. craft — a skill
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fine — high quality
  12. board — to get on
  13. board — a committee
  14. mug — a face
  15. kick — in football
  16. sharp — clever
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. fine — a penalty

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