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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 116 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. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bound — certain
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. object — to protest
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. track — a path
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bound — tied together
  10. tube — a container
  11. track — a song
  12. object — a thing
  13. sharp — clever
  14. board — a committee
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bound — obliged
  17. tube — the underground
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. board — to get on
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. track — to keep track
  24. object — an aim

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