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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bear — the animal
  3. stem — to come from
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mark — a grade
  6. chest — a box
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. rest — what's left
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chest — of your body
  13. rest — a break
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. game — wild animals
  19. chest — of your body
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. game — a match
  24. mouse — the animal

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