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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. bass — low music
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. mark — a grade
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a tool
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. ball — a dance
  11. file — a line of people
  12. bass — the fish
  13. row — to paddle
  14. ball — a great time
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. row — a line
  20. plane — a tool
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — a stone

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