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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. ball — a great time
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. tube — a container
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. mark — a grade
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ball — a dance
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. track — to keep track
  17. tube — the underground
  18. track — a path
  19. track — a song
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bark — to shout
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. bulb — of a plant

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