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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. prune — to trim
  5. track — a song
  6. track — to keep track
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. track — a path
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. mate — a friend
  11. prune — to trim
  12. fine — high quality
  13. mate — to breed
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. mark — a trace
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. rock — music
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. fine — all right
  24. mate — a partner

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