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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. saw — the tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. deal — to handle
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. saw — the tool
  7. suit — in cards
  8. cap — of ice
  9. suit — to fit
  10. toast — bread
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. sharp — clever
  13. mark — a grade
  14. suit — clothes
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. cap — a hat
  19. cap — a lid
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. mark — a trace
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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