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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. mark — a grade
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. mark — a trace
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — the fish
  11. clip — to cut
  12. board — a committee
  13. board — to get on
  14. clip — a video
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. sharp — clever
  18. can — to be able to
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. clip — for paper

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