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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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. wound — an injury
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. wound — an injury
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. rock — music
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — a short time
  16. rock — a stone
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mark — a grade
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. spell — letters
  21. pass — a permit
  22. wake — a trail
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. wake — before a funeral

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