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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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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: lean · face · shower · mouse · jam · sharp · firm · mark

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. shower — to wash
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. face — to confront
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. lean — thin
  8. mark — a grade
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. face — part of the head
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. firm — steady
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. sharp — clever
  18. firm — a company
  19. shower — rain
  20. firm — decided
  21. lean — to bend
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. face — to point toward
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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