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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. rule — government
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. rule — a law
  8. swing — in golf
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. swing — to play on
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. dip — to sink
  14. scale — in music
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. swing — music
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. mark — a trace
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. wake — a trail
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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