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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mark — a grade
  3. prune — to trim
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. suit — in cards
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. mark — a trace
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. suit — clothes
  13. suit — to fit
  14. prune — to trim
  15. press — newspapers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. press — a publisher
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. pound — a weight
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. sharp — clever
  24. press — to push

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