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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. bank — of a river
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. sharp — clever
  8. land — a country
  9. drill — the tool
  10. bank — for money
  11. bound — obliged
  12. land — ground
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. land — to come down
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bound — tied together
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. drill — a practice
  21. bank — for money
  22. bound — certain
  23. drill — army training
  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