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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. ground — the earth
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. staff — a stick
  6. pass — a permit
  7. track — a song
  8. ground — crushed
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. firm — a company
  12. staff — employees
  13. firm — decided
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. prune — to trim
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. face — to confront
  21. ground — a position
  22. firm — steady
  23. prune — to trim
  24. sharp — clever

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