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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — clever
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ground — the earth
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. spell — a short time
  7. rash — a series
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. prune — to trim
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spell — magic
  13. prune — to trim
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ground — a position
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. spell — letters
  19. suit — in cards
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. rash — hasty
  23. ground — crushed
  24. suit — clothes

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