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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. spell — magic
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. tube — the underground
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. spell — letters
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. mark — a grade
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — after costs
  17. net — for catching
  18. staff — employees
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. stem — to come from
  21. tube — a container
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. pit — in a race
  24. staff — employees

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