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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rash — a series
  3. sharp — clever
  4. rock — a stone
  5. rash — hasty
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. drill — a practice
  8. branch — a division
  9. key — in music
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rock — music
  12. mark — a grade
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. drill — army training
  16. drill — the tool
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. pop — to visit
  20. pop — music
  21. key — the most important part
  22. key — for a lock
  23. pop — soda
  24. sharp — exactly

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