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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chest — a box
  3. mark — a trace
  4. branch — a division
  5. mark — a grade
  6. rock — a stone
  7. snap — to click
  8. mug — to rob
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. rock — music
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pop — music
  14. mug — a face
  15. pop — to visit
  16. bear — the animal
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. mug — a cup
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chest — of your body
  24. pop — soda

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