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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. ground — crushed
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. club — a group
  10. ground — a position
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. wind — moving air
  13. dip — to sink
  14. ground — the earth
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. bulb — for light
  21. club — for golf
  22. mark — a trace
  23. wind — moving air
  24. club — for dancing

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