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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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. file — a line of people
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. firm — decided
  6. file — a tool
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. firm — steady
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. scale — in music
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. file — a document
  18. mark — a grade
  19. wake — a trail
  20. scale — size or range
  21. firm — a company
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. lean — thin

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