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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mark — a trace
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. spring — the season
  6. snap — to click
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. stock — goods
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. spring — a coil
  15. mark — a grade
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mug — to rob
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. dip — to sink
  20. mug — a face
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. spring — of water
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. stock — shares

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