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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.

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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: foot · wind · cabinet · deal · sharp · bay · racket · plane

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. deal — to handle
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wind — moving air
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. wind — moving air
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. sharp — clever
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. plane — a tool
  24. foot — a measure

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