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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. march — the month
  3. charge — a price
  4. march — the month
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. snap — to click
  8. mark — a trace
  9. lie — to recline
  10. kick — in football
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — in control
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. march — music
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. mate — to breed
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. saw — the tool
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mate — a friend

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