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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. march — the month
  7. object — to protest
  8. sharp — clever
  9. march — music
  10. pop — soda
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. object — an aim
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a grade
  16. object — a thing
  17. pop — music
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. march — the month
  20. mark — a trace
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. prune — to trim
  24. pop — to visit

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