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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. band — a music group
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mug — to rob
  7. dip — to sink
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mark — a trace
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. bulb — for light
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. scale — size or range
  17. mug — a face
  18. band — a ring
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. scale — in music

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