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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a trace
  3. pound — a weight
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. mug — a face
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. mug — to rob
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wake — a trail
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mug — a cup
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. pound — to hit hard

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