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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. suit — clothes
  6. prune — to trim
  7. face — to point toward
  8. suit — to fit
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. suit — in cards
  11. prune — to trim
  12. mark — a grade
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. face — part of the head
  17. toast — bread
  18. face — to confront
  19. sharp — clever
  20. roll — a cake
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. roll — a list
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mark — a trace

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