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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. object — to protest
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. object — a thing
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. present — there
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. object — an aim
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. present — a gift
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bat — the animal
  21. present — the time now
  22. saw — the tool
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. saw — the tool

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