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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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. court — of law
  3. field — a subject
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. kick — in football
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. dip — to sink
  10. vault — a safe
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. mark — a grade
  15. court — of a king
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. field — farmland
  19. bass — low music
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. field — for sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. court — for sport

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