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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 116 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 · can · mouse · rest · pit · sharp · row · ground

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — in a race
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ground — the earth
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. ground — a position
  13. can — to be able to
  14. ground — crushed
  15. row — to paddle
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. can — a tin
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. can — a tin
  20. mark — a grade
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mark — a trace
  24. rest — a break

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