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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rest — what's left
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. charge — in control
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. drill — the tool
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. charge — electricity
  11. drill — a practice
  12. drill — army training
  13. mark — a grade
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — to recline
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. charge — a price
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — a division
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rest — a break
  24. rest — what's left

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