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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. fall — to drop
  5. staff — employees
  6. shower — rain
  7. shower — to wash
  8. staff — employees
  9. mark — a trace
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. bass — the fish
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bass — low music
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. sharp — clever
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fall — the season
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. suit — clothes
  21. toast — bread
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — in cards
  24. fall — to drop

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