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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cap · squash · fine · sharp · temple · bay · bound · ball

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. cap — a lid
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ball — a great time
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fine — all right
  8. ball — a dance
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. cap — a hat
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. cap — of ice
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. fine — high quality
  18. bound — obliged
  19. bound — certain
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — tied together
  24. squash — to crush

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