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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
468
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: bay · nail · root · object · mate · sharp · rock · dip

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mate — a friend
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. mate — to breed
  6. mate — a partner
  7. object — to protest
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. root — of a word
  13. object — an aim
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. dip — to sink
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rock — music
  22. root — the cause
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. object — a thing

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