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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. tear — from crying
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. net — after costs
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tear — to rip
  9. object — an aim
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. squash — to crush
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. wind — moving air
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. net — in sport
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. tear — from crying
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. wind — moving air
  20. net — for catching
  21. object — a thing
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. object — to protest

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