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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. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — a hint
  2. rush — hurry
  3. object — to protest
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. face — part of the head
  6. cap — a hat
  7. face — to confront
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. cap — of ice
  10. cue — for pool
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. mark — a trace
  13. bear — the animal
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mark — a grade
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. face — to point toward
  18. cue — a signal
  19. object — an aim
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. object — a thing

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