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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. firm — decided
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. firm — a company
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. sharp — clever
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — the tool
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. firm — steady
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. scale — in music
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. patient — a sick person

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