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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. spring — of water
  4. current — happening now
  5. spring — a coil
  6. drill — the tool
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. object — a thing
  9. object — to protest
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. spring — the season
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. pitch — completely
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. object — an aim
  19. drill — a practice
  20. drill — army training
  21. current — electric
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. current — of water

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