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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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. root — the cause
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. craft — a skill
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — to wash
  12. stand — to bear
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pit — a hole
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pit — in a race
  17. craft — boats
  18. pound — a weight
  19. root — of a word
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. root — of a plant
  24. stand — on your feet

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