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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. spring — the season
  6. can — a tin
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. spring — a coil
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. lean — to bend
  11. spring — of water
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. can — a tin
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. can — to be able to
  17. lean — thin
  18. fork — in a road

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