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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. branch — a division
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — to sink
  7. prune — to trim
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. season — in sport
  12. can — a tin
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. prune — to trim
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. ball — a great time
  22. season — of the year
  23. can — to be able to
  24. mark — to pay attention

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