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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: sharp · mark · toast · wave · stick · rule · pop · foot

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. foot — a measure
  6. toast — bread
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. sharp — clever
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pop — to visit
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. mark — a trace
  13. pop — music
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rule — a law
  17. pop — soda
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. rule — government
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mark — a grade
  24. wave — of the sea

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