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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. board — to get on
  3. mate — a partner
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mark — a trace
  6. wound — an injury
  7. mate — a friend
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. board — a committee
  10. stem — to come from
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. content — happy
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. track — a path
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mate — to breed
  23. track — a song
  24. content — the amount

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