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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. court — for sport
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. craft — a skill
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. court — of law
  8. drill — the tool
  9. sharp — clever
  10. drill — army training
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. drill — a practice
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. stand — to bear
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. court — of a king
  22. craft — boats
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to bend

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