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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mark — a trace
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. staff — employees
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. squash — the sport
  10. net — for catching
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. dip — to sink
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. staff — employees
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — after costs
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. staff — a stick

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