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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rush — hurry
  3. can — a tin
  4. dip — to sink
  5. staff — employees
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. drill — army training
  8. can — to be able to
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. staff — a stick
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. mark — a grade
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. drill — the tool
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. staff — employees
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. drill — a practice
  21. chair — a leader
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. can — a tin

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