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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wound — an injury
  3. suit — in cards
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wound — an injury
  6. suit — to fit
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bulb — for light
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. suit — clothes
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. mark — a trace
  24. nail — on a finger

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