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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. staff — employees
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. hand — help
  5. pop — music
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. staff — employees
  10. pop — to visit
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. pop — soda
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. present — the time now
  16. tube — the underground
  17. staff — a stick
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. hand — in cards
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. tube — a container

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