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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a lid
  9. pound — a weight
  10. band — a music group
  11. band — a ring
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. mine — for digging
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cap — a hat
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. mark — a grade
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. bear — the animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mark — to pay attention

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