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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — the time now
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cap — a hat
  13. present — a gift
  14. mark — a grade
  15. sharp — clever
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. present — there
  20. cap — a lid
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. cap — of ice
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mark — a trace

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