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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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. mark — to pay attention
  4. mate — to breed
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mate — a friend
  7. mark — a grade
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. suit — to fit
  15. pit — a hole
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wake — a trail
  23. pit — in a race
  24. suit — in cards

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