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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. toast — a drink to someone
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. cue — for pool
  6. branch — a division
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. rock — music
  9. track — a path
  10. rule — a law
  11. rock — a stone
  12. cue — a hint
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. track — a song
  17. sharp — clever
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. track — to keep track
  20. rule — government
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. cue — a signal
  24. toast — bread

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