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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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. tube — the underground
  4. race — the arms race
  5. suit — to fit
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. spring — the season
  8. track — a song
  9. suit — in cards
  10. stem — to come from
  11. date — the fruit
  12. track — to keep track
  13. suit — clothes
  14. spring — a coil
  15. race — a contest
  16. tube — a container
  17. track — a path
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. stem — of a plant
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. spring — of water
  24. race — humankind

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