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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. pit — in a race
  4. wound — an injury
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pit — a hole
  8. scale — size or range
  9. deal — to handle
  10. club — for golf
  11. club — for dancing
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. scale — in music
  15. mark — a grade
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. date — the fruit
  24. club — a group

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