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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — to fit
  5. saw — the tool
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. ball — a great time
  13. capital — a city
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. bank — for money
  16. rash — a series
  17. capital — money
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bank — for money
  21. rash — hasty
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. bank — of a river
  24. suit — clothes

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