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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rock — music
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. court — of law
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rock — a stone
  9. stock — goods
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. spell — a short time
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. spell — letters
  14. spell — magic
  15. stock — shares
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. plane — a tool
  21. court — of a king
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. court — for sport
  24. leaves — to go away

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