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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — high quality
  4. cue — a hint
  5. mark — a grade
  6. cue — a signal
  7. root — of a plant
  8. pit — a hole
  9. cue — for pool
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. root — of a word
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. ball — a great time
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rock — a stone
  20. root — the cause
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — music
  23. fine — all right
  24. ball — a round shape

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