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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. current — of water
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mark — a grade
  15. rock — music
  16. current — electric
  17. bulb — for light
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — for light
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mine — for digging
  22. current — happening now
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. bat — the animal

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