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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. bark — to shout
  6. wake — a trail
  7. mark — a trace
  8. staff — employees
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. season — of the year
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. rush — hurry
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. staff — a stick
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. staff — employees
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. season — in sport

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