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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fork — in a road
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. foot — a measure
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. object — an aim
  12. mate — to breed
  13. rest — a break
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. object — a thing
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mine — for digging
  18. object — to protest
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. foot — part of the body

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