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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. press — a publisher
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. can — a tin
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. pit — a hole
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. press — newspapers
  12. press — to push
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. bulb — for light
  16. can — a tin
  17. mark — a grade
  18. bulb — for light
  19. sharp — clever
  20. can — to be able to
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. wake — a trail
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. pit — in a race

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