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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: sharp · mark · toast · dip · spring · wax

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spring — the season
  5. toast — bread
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. wax — in the ear
  8. spring — a coil
  9. sharp — clever
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. spring — of water
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. wax — to grow
  18. dip — to sink

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