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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 116 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. court — for sport
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bark — to shout
  14. branch — a division
  15. stand — to bear
  16. mark — a grade
  17. court — of law
  18. court — of a king
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. pit — in a race
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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