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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. mark — a grade
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. wake — a trail
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ground — crushed
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bulb — for light
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. sharp — clever
  17. mark — a trace
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. ground — a position
  23. bulb — for light
  24. ruler — a monarch

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