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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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. wound — an injury
  4. ground — the earth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. cue — for pool
  7. bulb — for light
  8. ground — crushed
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. fine — high quality
  14. swing — music
  15. wound — an injury
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ground — a position
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fall — to drop
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fine — all right
  24. cue — a hint

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