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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. march — the month
  3. march — music
  4. mug — to rob
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mug — a cup
  7. cap — a hat
  8. march — the month
  9. stock — shares
  10. cap — a lid
  11. cap — of ice
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mark — a grade
  14. bore — to drill
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. mug — a face
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. stock — goods
  20. spring — the season
  21. bore — to tire
  22. spring — a coil
  23. spring — of water
  24. mouse — the animal

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