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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  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. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. foot — a measure
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. vault — a safe
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. spell — a short time
  10. fork — in a road
  11. craft — boats
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. dip — to sink
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. mark — a trace
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  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