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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 was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. object — a thing
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. season — of the year
  8. key — in music
  9. season — in sport
  10. mark — a grade
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. object — to protest
  19. object — an aim
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. saw — the tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. key — for a lock

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