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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. lie — to recline
  6. sharp — clever
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. lean — thin
  9. rash — hasty
  10. firm — steady
  11. date — the fruit
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. rash — a series
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. lean — to bend
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. mark — a grade

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