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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. key — in music
  3. roll — a cake
  4. sharp — clever
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mark — a trace
  7. swing — music
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. fork — in a road
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. swing — in golf
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. roll — a list
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. craft — boats
  21. foot — a measure
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. swing — to play on
  24. mark — a grade

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