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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. tear — from crying
  5. wake — a trail
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. tear — to rip
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. mark — a trace

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