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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. firm — a company
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. firm — steady
  5. present — the time now
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. present — there
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. firm — decided
  11. wake — a trail
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — bread
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. march — the month
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. present — a gift
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. march — the month
  22. march — music
  23. sharp — clever
  24. toast — the most admired

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