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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. spring — the season
  6. spring — a coil
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. band — a music group
  11. rest — what's left
  12. stand — to bear
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. band — a ring
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. spring — of water
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. rest — a break
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. chair — a leader

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