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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. cell — a phone
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. saw — the tool
  15. cell — in biology
  16. club — a group
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. mark — a grade
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. pitch — completely
  21. foot — a measure
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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