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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. dip — to sink
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. mate — a friend
  8. file — a tool
  9. wound — an injury
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. mate — a partner
  15. row — a line
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. file — a line of people
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. file — a document
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. row — to paddle
  22. mark — a grade
  23. mate — to breed
  24. safe — out of danger

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