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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. root — the cause
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. root — of a word
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. ball — a great time
  13. deal — to handle
  14. stand — to bear
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. root — of a plant
  19. prune — to trim
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. staff — a stick
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — for spectators

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