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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. object — a thing
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. object — an aim
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. object — to protest
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. shower — rain
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. mug — a face
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. perch — the fish
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. mug — to rob
  21. mark — a grade
  22. mug — a cup
  23. mark — a trace
  24. shower — to wash

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