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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. spring — the season
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mark — a grade
  11. spring — a coil
  12. firm — steady
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. stock — goods
  15. firm — a company
  16. stock — shares
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. firm — decided
  19. spring — of water
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mate — to breed
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. mate — a friend

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