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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: mate · dip · track · squash · staff · sharp · fine · court

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. sharp — clever
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — a stick
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. mate — a partner
  7. staff — employees
  8. court — of a king
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mate — to breed
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. dip — to sink
  14. court — for sport
  15. mate — a friend
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. track — a path
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. court — of law
  21. track — to keep track
  22. track — a song
  23. fine — high quality
  24. sharp — exactly

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