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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bound — obliged
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bulb — for light
  8. stem — to come from
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mate — a partner
  14. mate — to breed
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bound — tied together
  19. mate — a friend
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. mug — a face
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. bound — certain
  24. shower — rain

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