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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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. wound — an injury
  4. rest — what's left
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. current — happening now
  7. current — electric
  8. bound — certain
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — an injury
  12. rest — what's left
  13. club — for dancing
  14. tube — the underground
  15. rock — a stone
  16. club — a group
  17. bound — obliged
  18. club — for golf
  19. rest — a break
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bound — tied together
  22. rock — music
  23. tube — a container
  24. current — of water

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