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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. staff — employees
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. root — of a plant
  5. face — to point toward
  6. staff — employees
  7. firm — a company
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. face — part of the head
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. root — the cause
  13. face — to confront
  14. bat — the animal
  15. sharp — clever
  16. vault — a safe
  17. firm — decided
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stock — shares
  21. staff — a stick
  22. root — of a word
  23. firm — steady
  24. stock — goods

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