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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: sharp · tear · court · bay · key · dip · stem · mouse

  1. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. tear — to rip
  2. court — of a king
  3. dip — to sink
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. key — in music
  7. tear — from crying
  8. court — of law
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. tear — from crying
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — for a lock
  18. court — for sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stem — to come from
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. stem — of a plant

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