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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. can — a tin
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. can — a tin
  8. mug — a face
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. can — to be able to
  11. mug — to rob
  12. band — a music group
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mine — for digging
  16. band — a ring
  17. current — of water
  18. wake — a trail
  19. squash — the sport
  20. current — happening now
  21. current — electric
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. squash — to crush

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