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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 ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. bore — to tire
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. mark — a grade
  6. scale — in music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. dip — to sink
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. stock — goods
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. stock — shares
  16. bore — to drill
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. ruler — a monarch
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. toast — bread
  24. scale — size or range

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