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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. bulb — for light
  9. rest — what's left
  10. capital — a city
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. capital — money
  13. bulb — for light
  14. toast — bread
  15. ball — a great time
  16. rest — a break
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. ball — a dance
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rest — what's left

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