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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 players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pitch — completely
  6. mark — a grade
  7. firm — a company
  8. row — a line
  9. rush — hurry
  10. row — to paddle
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. content — the amount
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. content — happy
  19. firm — steady
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. firm — decided

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