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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fall — the season
  3. mark — a grade
  4. net — after costs
  5. fall — to drop
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. net — for catching
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. foot — a measure
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. wind — moving air
  19. fall — to drop
  20. wind — moving air
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. net — in sport
  24. lie — to recline

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