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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 116 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. suit — in cards
  3. present — there
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. present — a gift
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bat — the animal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. mark — a grade
  11. file — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. suit — to fit
  17. pit — a hole
  18. file — a document
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. present — the time now
  22. suit — clothes
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. file — a line of people

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