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

Word bank: cue · spell · mark · current · sharp · toast · pound · lean

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lean — thin
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. current — happening now
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. cue — for pool
  10. cue — a signal
  11. cue — a hint
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. toast — bread
  14. current — electric
  15. spell — magic
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. current — of water
  18. spell — letters
  19. pound — a weight
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spell — a short time
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pound — to hit hard

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