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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. tube — a container
  3. scale — in music
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pass — a permit
  7. snap — to click
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. rest — a break
  18. mark — a trace
  19. scale — size or range
  20. rest — what's left
  21. tube — the underground
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mark — a grade

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