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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 120 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 newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. mark — a grade
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. swing — in golf
  6. firm — a company
  7. firm — steady
  8. swing — to play on
  9. firm — decided
  10. tube — a container
  11. swing — music
  12. spell — letters
  13. tube — the underground
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. mark — a trace
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. spell — magic
  18. snap — to click
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. pop — soda
  21. foot — a measure
  22. spell — a short time
  23. pop — music
  24. pop — to visit

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