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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. wind — moving air
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bore — to tire
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. kick — in football
  9. wind — moving air
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. ball — a great time
  16. band — a ring
  17. bore — to drill
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. ball — a dance
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. toast — bread
  24. band — a music group

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