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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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. spring — of water
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. spring — the season
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. last — finally
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. rule — government
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. last — final
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. rule — a law
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mark — a grade
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. lean — thin
  20. lean — to bend
  21. pass — a permit
  22. last — to go on
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. mark — to pay attention

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