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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. branch — a division
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. lean — thin
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. cap — of ice
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. mark — a grade
  10. lean — to bend
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. roll — a list
  13. dip — to sink
  14. cap — a hat
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. roll — a cake
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. cap — a lid
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. safe — a strongbox

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