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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. mug — a cup
  5. staff — employees
  6. mug — a face
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. wind — moving air
  10. shower — to wash
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. staff — a stick
  14. shower — rain
  15. wind — moving air
  16. mug — to rob
  17. foot — a measure
  18. sharp — clever
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. staff — employees
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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