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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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 grade
  3. pop — music
  4. bank — for money
  5. bark — to shout
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. pop — soda
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. bank — for money
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bank — of a river
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. pop — to visit
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. content — happy
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. content — the amount
  24. content — videos and posts

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