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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  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 — exactly
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — a measure
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. deal — to handle
  11. firm — a company
  12. sharp — clever
  13. pit — in a race
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. pit — a hole
  17. firm — decided
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. firm — steady
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  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