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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. court — for sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of a king
  6. deal — to handle
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. date — the fruit
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. mark — a grade
  15. court — of law
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. pass — a permit
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mark — to pay attention

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