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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. rush — hurry
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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