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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. rest — what's left
  4. sharp — clever
  5. track — a song
  6. club — a group
  7. club — for golf
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. court — for sport
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. court — of a king
  12. track — to keep track
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. staff — employees
  15. track — a path
  16. club — for dancing
  17. court — of law
  18. rest — a break
  19. wound — an injury
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. staff — a stick
  22. wound — an injury
  23. staff — employees
  24. hide — to keep secret

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