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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 116 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 want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. tube — a container
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. root — of a word
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. root — the cause
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. tube — the underground
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. march — the month
  14. ball — a great time
  15. mark — a trace
  16. march — the month
  17. root — of a plant
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. ball — a dance
  22. march — music
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. racket — for tennis

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