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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. sharp — clever
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. present — there
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. dip — to sink
  10. present — a gift
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mark — a trace
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. present — the time now
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. dip — a sauce

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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