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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lean — to bend
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pop — to visit
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pop — soda
  8. current — happening now
  9. mate — a partner
  10. lean — thin
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fall — the season
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pop — music
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. bark — to shout
  21. current — of water
  22. current — electric
  23. fall — to drop
  24. calf — a young animal

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