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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. scale — size or range
  3. root — the cause
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. suit — in cards
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. suit — clothes
  8. court — for sport
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. root — of a plant
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. scale — in music
  19. court — of a king
  20. root — of a word
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. sharp — clever
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. court — of law

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