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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. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — music
  6. key — in music
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. chair — a leader
  12. fork — in a road
  13. cue — a signal
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. rock — a stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. capital — a city
  20. key — the most important part
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. capital — money
  23. key — for a lock
  24. sharp — exactly

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