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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wake — a trail
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. drill — the tool
  5. mark — a trace
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. drill — army training
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. board — a committee
  12. board — to get on
  13. pop — soda
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. kick — in football
  18. pop — to visit
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. drill — a practice
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. pop — music
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. board — a flat piece

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