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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. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. drill — the tool
  3. net — for catching
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. club — for golf
  7. drill — a practice
  8. club — a group
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. net — after costs
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. net — in sport
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. capital — a big letter
  15. mark — a grade
  16. capital — a city
  17. pit — a hole
  18. capital — money
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. club — for dancing
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. drill — army training

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