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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. pit — a hole
  5. mark — a grade
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. mark — a trace
  8. snap — to click
  9. mug — a cup
  10. pop — music
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. board — to get on
  15. mug — to rob
  16. board — a committee
  17. mug — a face
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. mine — for digging
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pop — soda
  24. pit — in a race

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