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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. can — to be able to
  4. ball — a dance
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. can — a tin
  8. ball — a great time
  9. net — for catching
  10. pitch — completely
  11. spring — the season
  12. rest — what's left
  13. can — a tin
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. rest — what's left
  16. rest — a break
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. spring — a coil
  19. net — after costs
  20. sharp — clever
  21. spring — of water
  22. net — in sport
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. mark — a grade

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