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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 120 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. face — part of the head
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. face — to confront
  8. bound — tied together
  9. face — to point toward
  10. key — the most important part
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. scale — in music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bound — certain
  16. scale — size or range
  17. sharp — clever
  18. key — in music
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. craft — boats
  23. bound — obliged
  24. dip — to sink

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