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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mark — a trace
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. mug — a face
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rush — hurry
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. mug — to rob
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. tube — the underground
  15. club — for golf
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. dip — to sink
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. tube — a container
  21. pass — a permit
  22. club — a group
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. mug — a cup

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