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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. stand — to bear
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. chip — for betting
  8. court — for sport
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. court — of law
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. sharp — clever
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. court — of a king
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. key — in music
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. chip — to eat
  24. mouse — for a computer

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