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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 116 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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — clever
  3. bass — the fish
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. fine — high quality
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bark — to shout
  11. pit — a hole
  12. band — a ring
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. bass — low music
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. band — a music group
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. bass — the instrument
  23. mark — a grade
  24. fine — all right

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