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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 116 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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. I've got the luggage in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. spring — of water
  4. saw — the tool
  5. spring — the season
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. rest — what's left
  9. rest — a break
  10. kick — in football
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. fork — in a road
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. spring — a coil
  19. saw — the tool
  20. mark — a grade
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. trunk — of a car

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