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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. present — there
  6. ball — a great time
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. present — a gift
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. ball — a dance
  12. court — for sport
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rest — what's left
  16. toast — bread
  17. rest — what's left
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. mark — a grade
  20. court — of a king
  21. bear — the animal
  22. court — of law
  23. present — the time now
  24. dip — a sauce

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