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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lean — thin
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. mate — to breed
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. mate — a partner
  13. game — a match
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. mate — a friend
  17. lean — to bend
  18. mark — to pay attention

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