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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. bulb — for light
  7. chest — a box
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chest — of your body
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. dip — to sink
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. chest — of your body
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. fan — a supporter

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