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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  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 — with an edge
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. roll — a cake
  9. chip — for betting
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. chip — to eat
  12. bark — to shout
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — to bend
  16. roll — a list
  17. sharp — clever
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. lean — thin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  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