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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 116 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 walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. file — a line of people
  3. cap — a lid
  4. mark — a grade
  5. club — a group
  6. stand — to bear
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. club — for dancing
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. cap — of ice
  11. charge — electricity
  12. charge — in control
  13. file — a document
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. charge — a price
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mine — for digging
  19. club — for golf
  20. file — a tool
  21. cap — a hat
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. calf — a young animal

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