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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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. mark — a trace
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. track — to keep track
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. track — a song
  13. ball — a great time
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. branch — a division
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. track — a path
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. cabinet — ministers

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