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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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 trace
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rock — a stone
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. suit — clothes
  12. degree — an amount
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rock — music
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. degree — temperature
  19. suit — in cards
  20. sharp — clever
  21. fall — to drop
  22. degree — from a university
  23. fall — the season
  24. mark — a grade

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