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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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 trace
  2. pit — in a race
  3. squash — to crush
  4. march — the month
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. scale — in music
  8. root — of a word
  9. scale — size or range
  10. root — of a plant
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. last — final
  13. squash — the sport
  14. march — the month
  15. root — the cause
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. march — music
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. last — to go on
  21. last — finally
  22. pit — a hole
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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