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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. club — for golf
  3. root — the cause
  4. ball — a great time
  5. deal — to handle
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. club — for dancing
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. root — of a plant
  14. ball — a dance
  15. root — of a word
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. fine — high quality
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. sharp — clever
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. club — a group

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