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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  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. game — wild animals
  2. mark — a trace
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. toast — bread
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — to breed
  11. sharp — clever
  12. bore — to tire
  13. mate — a friend
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. mate — a partner
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. game — a match
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. bore — to drill
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bear — the animal
  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