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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. lie — to recline
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. net — for catching
  7. fine — all right
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. pound — a weight
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. fine — high quality
  16. land — to come down
  17. kick — in football
  18. land — a country
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. net — in sport
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. net — after costs
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. land — ground

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