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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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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spell — a short time
  3. object — an aim
  4. spell — letters
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. object — to protest
  9. spell — magic
  10. stock — goods
  11. object — a thing
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. stock — shares
  17. mark — a grade
  18. hide — to keep secret

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