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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. file — a tool
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. cue — a hint
  5. field — for sport
  6. file — a line of people
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cue — for pool
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cue — a signal
  11. field — a subject
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. scale — in music
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. file — a document
  16. mark — a grade
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. scale — size or range
  19. field — farmland
  20. craft — boats
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. toast — bread
  24. mark — to pay attention

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