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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. hand — help
  6. rock — a stone
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. pass — a permit
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. ball — a great time
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. dip — to sink
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. rock — music
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. ball — a dance
  20. hand — in cards
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — a grade
  24. pass — to succeed

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