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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. field — for sport
  6. craft — boats
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. field — farmland
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. bear — the animal
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. field — a subject
  21. bear — the animal
  22. toast — bread
  23. foot — a measure
  24. sharp — exactly

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