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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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. sharp — clever
  6. ground — the earth
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. lean — to bend
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rest — what's left
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. rest — a break
  16. ground — crushed
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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