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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. deal — to handle
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. wax — to grow
  8. key — the most important part
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. wax — in the ear
  13. sharp — clever
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. date — the fruit
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mark — a trace
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. mark — a grade
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. key — in music
  23. key — for a lock
  24. deal — an agreement

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