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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 116 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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — a grade
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. file — a tool
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fine — high quality
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. dip — to sink
  11. suit — to fit
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. stem — to come from
  15. bulb — for light
  16. fine — all right
  17. suit — in cards
  18. bulb — for light
  19. file — a document
  20. suit — clothes
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. file — a line of people
  23. wound — an injury
  24. dip — a sauce

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