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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. racket — for tennis
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. prune — to trim
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. perch — the fish
  10. prune — to trim
  11. bear — the animal
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bear — the animal
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mark — a grade
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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