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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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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: mark · wake · fine · scale · sharp · press · kick · shower

  1. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. sharp — clever
  3. press — newspapers
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. shower — to wash
  6. press — to push
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. press — a publisher
  9. kick — in football
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — a trace
  13. fine — all right
  14. wake — a trail
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. scale — size or range
  20. scale — in music
  21. shower — rain
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. fine — high quality

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