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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: wake · sharp · pound · hide · mark · rash · mouse · calf

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. rash — a series
  3. sharp — clever
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. mark — a grade
  8. rash — hasty
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. mark — a trace
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. wake — a trail
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. pound — a weight

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