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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: ball · date · bay · staff · pound · mine · sharp · bank

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. staff — employees
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. ball — a great time
  6. ball — a dance
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. sharp — clever
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. staff — employees
  12. bank — for money
  13. bank — for money
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. staff — a stick
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. pound — to hit hard
  19. bank — of a river
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. pound — a weight
  22. date — the fruit
  23. mine — for digging
  24. ball — a round shape

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