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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. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. board — a committee
  3. mark — a grade
  4. can — a tin
  5. snap — to click
  6. mug — a face
  7. board — to get on
  8. court — for sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. can — to be able to
  14. can — a tin
  15. mug — to rob
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. court — of law
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. present — there
  24. court — of a king

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