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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 120 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cap — a lid
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — thin
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. cap — of ice
  9. bat — the animal
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. mark — a trace
  12. rush — hurry
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. perch — the fish
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. sharp — clever
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. cap — a hat
  23. mark — a grade
  24. safe — out of danger

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