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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. cap — a lid
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. prune — to trim
  9. charge — a price
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mark — a grade
  13. sharp — clever
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. perch — the fish
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — electricity
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. charge — in control
  21. cap — of ice
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. cap — a hat
  24. wave — of the sea

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