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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. craft — boats
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — to breed
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. root — of a word
  12. pop — to visit
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pop — music
  15. root — the cause
  16. root — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. pop — soda
  20. mate — a friend
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. craft — a skill
  23. sharp — clever
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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