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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 120 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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. cap — a lid
  3. club — for golf
  4. lie — to recline
  5. club — for dancing
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cap — of ice
  9. object — a thing
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — a trace
  12. club — a group
  13. board — to get on
  14. spell — letters
  15. spell — magic
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. object — to protest
  21. board — a committee
  22. object — an aim
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. spell — a short time

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