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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 120 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ball is in your ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. foot — a measure
  4. cap — of ice
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. court — of a king
  7. court — for sport
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. cap — a hat
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rash — a series
  15. staff — a stick
  16. craft — boats
  17. staff — employees
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. court — of law
  20. cap — a lid
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. staff — employees
  23. craft — a skill
  24. rash — hasty

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