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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: fork · club · mug · bay · hide · stem · sharp · season

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. season — in sport
  4. stem — a stem cell
  5. mug — a face
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. club — for dancing
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. fork — in a road
  12. club — for golf
  13. season — of the year
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. stem — to come from
  20. club — a group
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. mug — to rob
  23. sharp — clever
  24. fork — to eat with

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