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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. ball — a dance
  4. file — a document
  5. chip — to eat
  6. sharp — clever
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. bear — the animal
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. bear — the animal
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chip — for betting
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. file — a line of people
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. file — a tool
  24. jam — a tight spot

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