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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mark — a trace
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. file — a document
  11. pound — a weight
  12. foot — a measure
  13. wake — to stop sleeping
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. march — the month
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. charge — a price
  19. lie — to recline
  20. charge — in control
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. march — music
  24. march — the month

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