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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 120 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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pop — music
  6. march — the month
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rule — a law
  10. rule — government
  11. charge — electricity
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. pop — soda
  17. charge — a price
  18. charge — in control
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. march — music
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. pop — to visit
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. march — the month

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