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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the button?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. That was a fun ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. game — wild animals
  8. rock — music
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. press — to push
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. game — a match
  15. press — newspapers
  16. saw — the tool
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. saw — the tool
  19. press — a publisher
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. sharp — clever
  24. racket — a loud noise

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