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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. The water is too ________________.
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — a trace
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — an aim
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. fine — all right
  7. firm — decided
  8. current — happening now
  9. wound — an injury
  10. object — to protest
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. cold — not warm
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. firm — steady
  16. chip — for betting
  17. current — of water
  18. current — electric
  19. firm — a company
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chip — to eat
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. cold — an illness

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