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

Word bank: pit · stick · mark · arm · ruler · bear · sharp · cabinet

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. pit — in a race
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bear — the animal
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. sharp — clever
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. arm — a part of something

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