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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mark — a trace
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. roll — a list
  6. mark — a grade
  7. key — the most important part
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. key — in music
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. rule — a law
  17. key — for a lock
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. dip — to sink
  20. bark — to shout
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. roll — a cake
  24. coach — a trainer

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