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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. spell — letters
  3. spell — a short time
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a great time
  12. craft — boats
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. cell — in biology
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. craft — a skill
  21. game — wild animals
  22. spell — magic
  23. game — a match
  24. cell — a phone

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