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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 116 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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. face — part of the head
  3. drill — army training
  4. face — to confront
  5. drill — a practice
  6. race — a contest
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. drill — the tool
  11. ground — a position
  12. race — humankind
  13. bear — the animal
  14. race — the arms race
  15. face — to point toward
  16. ground — the earth
  17. bear — the animal
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. ground — crushed
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitch — completely

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