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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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. charge — a price
  6. pit — a hole
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. rule — a law
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. charge — electricity
  14. clip — to cut
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. charge — in control
  17. clip — for paper
  18. clip — a video
  19. mark — a grade
  20. cap — a lid
  21. pit — in a race
  22. bat — the animal
  23. cap — a hat
  24. rule — government

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