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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mark — a grade
  4. firm — a company
  5. roll — a list
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. mark — a trace
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. snap — to click
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. roll — a cake
  15. sharp — clever
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. wax — to grow
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. firm — decided
  24. mark — to pay attention

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