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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. last — final
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. lean — to bend
  6. mark — a grade
  7. lean — thin
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. fork — in a road
  12. last — finally
  13. last — to go on
  14. board — to get on
  15. scale — size or range
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. craft — boats
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. scale — in music
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. board — a committee

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