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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 120 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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. dip — to sink
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. cue — for pool
  5. stock — shares
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stock — goods
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. land — a country
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — a hint
  14. land — to come down
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. mark — a grade
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. cue — a signal
  19. land — ground
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. perch — the fish
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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