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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. roll — a cake
  7. roll — a list
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. saw — the tool
  12. sharp — clever
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. date — the fruit
  17. rock — a stone
  18. date — on the calendar

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