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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 ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bark — to shout
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bear — the animal
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. dip — to sink
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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