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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. wax — to grow
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. wax — for sculpting
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chip — to eat
  11. chip — for betting
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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