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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. sharp — clever
  6. kick — in football
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. bat — the animal
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. perch — the fish

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