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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. key — the most important part
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. key — in music
  7. rest — what's left
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. key — for a lock
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. pitch — completely
  18. roll — a cake
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. roll — a list
  21. mark — a grade
  22. plane — a tool
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. rest — a break

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