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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. wake — a trail
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. key — the most important part
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mark — a trace
  9. bear — the animal
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. drill — army training
  12. key — in music
  13. key — for a lock
  14. deal — to handle
  15. current — electric
  16. bat — the animal
  17. drill — a practice
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. current — of water
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. current — happening now
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mark — to pay attention

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