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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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. swing — music
  3. mark — a grade
  4. spring — the season
  5. rest — a break
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rest — what's left
  8. swing — to play on
  9. rule — a law
  10. tear — to rip
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. tear — from crying
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bear — the animal
  17. rule — government
  18. spring — of water
  19. swing — in golf
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. tear — from crying
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rest — what's left
  24. bear — to put up with

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