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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. mark — a trace
  3. tear — from crying
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mate — to breed
  6. vault — a safe
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mate — a partner
  11. mark — a grade
  12. tear — to rip
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. track — to keep track
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. track — a song
  18. mate — a friend
  19. track — a path
  20. rash — a series
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. tear — from crying
  23. rash — hasty
  24. sharp — clever

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