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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. current — happening now
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. mug — to rob
  9. current — of water
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bear — the animal
  13. scale — size or range
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mug — a cup
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mug — a face
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. current — electric
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. scale — in music
  24. pit — in a race

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