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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. mark — a grade
  3. firm — steady
  4. mark — a trace
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — a company
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. dip — to sink
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. craft — boats
  14. mate — a partner
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. game — a match
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. band — a music group
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. firm — decided
  21. band — a ring
  22. lie — to recline
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mate — a friend

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