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

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. drill — army training
  3. mark — a grade
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. toast — bread
  6. drill — a practice
  7. swing — music
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. row — a line
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. row — to paddle
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. drill — the tool
  15. swing — in golf
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. swing — to play on

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