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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. ground — a position
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. roll — a cake
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. branch — a division
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ground — crushed
  13. suit — to fit
  14. suit — clothes
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. ground — the earth

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