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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. ball — a great time
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ball — a dance
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. sharp — clever
  15. mark — a grade
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. foot — a measure
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fan — a supporter

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