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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. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. suit — to fit
  3. mark — a trace
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fine — high quality
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. last — final
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — a weight
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — clever
  18. last — finally
  19. fine — all right
  20. wake — a trail
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. last — to go on
  23. deal — to handle
  24. deal — an agreement

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