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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  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. rest — what's left
  2. fine — high quality
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pop — music
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. degree — an amount
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. degree — from a university
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pop — soda
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. rest — what's left
  18. rest — a break
  19. fine — all right
  20. pop — to visit
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. degree — temperature
  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