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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. present — the time now
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — what's left
  5. object — a thing
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. present — there
  8. track — to keep track
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. object — to protest
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. object — an aim
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. rest — a break
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. present — a gift
  19. rest — what's left
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. track — a song
  22. stand — to bear
  23. track — a path
  24. nail — on a finger

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