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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 116 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. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. root — of a plant
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. root — the cause
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. root — of a word
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. saw — the tool
  14. cell — in biology
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. lean — to bend
  20. sharp — clever
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. lean — thin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. sharp — exactly

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