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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 120 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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. season — of the year
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rest — what's left
  6. march — the month
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. season — in sport
  9. suit — to fit
  10. sharp — clever
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. dip — to sink
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — in cards
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rest — a break
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. march — the month
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mark — a trace
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. march — music
  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