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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. toast — bread
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. fine — all right
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — a stone
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. rock — music
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. pound — a weight
  21. fine — high quality
  22. sharp — clever
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. mark — a grade

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