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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. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. staff — a stick
  3. content — happy
  4. staff — employees
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. suit — clothes
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. staff — employees
  10. suit — to fit
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — child
  16. content — the amount
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. mark — a grade
  21. board — a committee
  22. board — to get on
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. content — videos and posts

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