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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. present — there
  3. rash — a series
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. bank — for money
  7. fall — to drop
  8. bank — for money
  9. present — a gift
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. rash — hasty
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. present — the time now
  14. snap — to click
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. fall — to drop
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bank — of a river
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fall — the season

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