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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. fine — all right
  4. rule — a law
  5. current — of water
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. mark — a grade
  8. hand — help
  9. object — a thing
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wax — to grow
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rule — government
  14. fine — high quality
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. object — an aim
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. current — happening now
  21. object — to protest
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. current — electric

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