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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. stand — to bear
  4. dip — to sink
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. ball — a great time
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mark — a grade
  12. scale — size or range
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. scale — in music
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. rush — hurry
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. ball — a dance

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