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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. net — for catching
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. tube — the underground
  6. rest — what's left
  7. foot — a measure
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. net — after costs
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. net — in sport
  17. mark — a grade
  18. tube — a container
  19. rest — a break
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lie — an untruth

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