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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. file — a document
  4. firm — a company
  5. mark — a trace
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. toast — bread
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. file — a tool
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. firm — decided
  14. file — a line of people
  15. sharp — clever
  16. firm — steady
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. saw — the tool
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. mark — a grade
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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