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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mark — a grade
  11. rash — hasty
  12. rash — a series
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. shower — to wash
  19. band — a ring
  20. shower — rain
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. band — a music group
  24. ruler — for measuring

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